Latest report on the well-being of Hoosier youth gives Indiana a mixed report card
The 146-page Indiana Kids Count Data Book ranked Indiana 27th in the country for overall child well-being.
Child Care
-
Lack of caregivers puts stress on parents, providers
Child care centers across the state are scrambling to find enough workers to meet demand and parents are struggling to find a child care provider with a vacancy.
Read More
Articles
Committee unanimously supports bill to streamline Indiana’s child care licensing process
The bill would allow single-owner child care companies or nonprofits, like YMCAs, to open multiple locations under one license.
Report: State loses out on $4.2B annually due to child care shortage
Broadly speaking, the $4.22 billion in untapped economic potential falls into two categories: workplace disruptions—such as worker absenteeism and employee turnover—and lost tax dollars from unearned wages.
Indiana political candidates can use donations for child care, election officials say
Indiana’s campaign finance laws generally bar candidates and their campaigns from spending contributions for “primarily personal” purposes, but do say candidates can use funds to “defray any expense reasonably related” to campaigning or service in elected office.
Fund helps Hoosier employers expand child care options for employees
More employers are taking it upon themselves to help workers find child care, a costly service that can be elusive for working Hoosier parents. A new state fund might be able to help.
Indiana legislators send bill addressing child care costs to governor
Indiana is among a growing number of Republican-led states proposing legislative solutions to tackle the availability and affordability of child care.
Indiana Senate approves child care proposal as House punts on health care merger oversight
Senate Republicans on Monday pushed the Legislature’s latest effort to improve child care access for Hoosier families closer to the finish line. But Democrats say the bill loosens regulations for providers and could put children at risk.
Bills striking some child care regulations pass the Senate, House
But while the Senate passed its bill—a priority for the Republican caucus—with almost the full support of the chamber, the House version faced adversity from Democrats.
Statehouse Democrats’ agenda targets child care, drug prices, more
Indiana Statehouse Democrats from both the Senate and House came together Thursday afternoon to release a bicameral agenda, which they said underlined their commitment to big-ticket issues even in a short session.
Child care legislation coming, but costs make passage iffy
Indiana lawmakers expect to file and advance significant child care legislation during the upcoming session, after years of advocacy from Hoosier parents, child care providers and worker-strapped businesses.
Early learning committee recommends new child care standards
The new set of standards would evaluate child care centers around the state and be rolled out over three years starting in 2024.
State grants $8.7M to early-education providers in child care push
Twenty-one early education providers throughout Indiana—and potentially more—will expand their child care offerings with the grants.
Child-care, early-learning advocates highlight legislative successes
There was no comprehensive effort to address Indiana’s child-care and early-learning shortages this legislative session, but a series of smaller changes will have big impacts on Hoosier families.
Indianapolis day care centers welcome COVID vaccine for children under 5
After more than two years of navigating the pandemic much like their K-12 counterparts, directors of child care facilities are hoping parents will take advantage of the new vaccines to protect their children and those around them.
AG Rokita sues Biden administration over preschool masks, vaccine mandates
Indiana and 23 other states filed the suit to stop rules that require students as young as 2 years old to wear masks if they attend a preschool program funded by Head Start.
Exacerbated by pandemic, child care crisis hampers economy
The absence of reliable and affordable child care limits which jobs people can accept, makes it harder to climb the corporate ladder and ultimately restricts the ability of the broader economy to grow.
Child-care workers are quitting rapidly, a red flag for economy
The numbers are staggering: The child-care services industry is still down 126,700 workers—more than a 10 percent decline from pre-pandemic levels, Labor Department data shows.
Marion County ranks high on statewide report rating child care access
Hoosier families on average face limited access to child care — with most residents having a tough time finding quality care that meets their family’s needs, according to Early Learning Indiana.
Greg Porter: The American Rescue Plan can change the course of Indiana
It is up to the state to get relief into the hands of those who need it most.
COVID-19 and child care: What the latest research says
Questions remain about how the coronavirus affects children, how safe the programs are for children and their families, and which procedures work best to mitigate the spread of the virus and its disease, COVID-19.