ALBION — In a vote that could be the first of its kind in Indiana, the Noble County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday appropriated $50,000 in county funds to support a local pilot program for affordable child care.
Now Noble Thrive By 5 is looking for employers to step up and support their workforce.
Jenna Anderson, the Noble Thrive by 5 Early Childhood Coalition Coordinator, requested the funds on August 8 for a Tri-Share Program her team has developed based on a similar model being piloted in parts of Michigan. The program will improve the affordability of child care for families by splitting child care costs in thirds: one third paid by the county, one third paid by the employer, and one third paid by the family.
The funds set aside by the Commissioners will be available when the program launches its pilot year in early 2023.
“I am really excited that Noble County has dedicated the use of public funding for early childhood education,” Anderson said. “Every child in elementary, middle, and high school has access to a publicly funded education, but early learning opportunities for ages 0-5, the most critical years for brain development, are out of reach for many families.”
The Tri-Share Program will address the affordability of child care and early learning programs in Noble County. Parents who make less than 127% of the Federal Poverty Level can qualify for Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers, while parents making 128% or more still struggle to pay for child care, as well as the daily costs of living.
“Affordable” child care is defined as paying 7% or less of a household’s gross salary on child care. In Noble County, the average weekly cost for care is around $150. To be considered “affordable,” a household would have to be making $109,000 annually, while in Noble County, the median household income is around $56,000. That means child care is not affordable for most Noble County families.
This program will increase affordability for families by splitting the cost of child care three ways. Employers can opt in, and employees that meet the guidelines and have child care secured in a participating child care provider will be eligible for the program.
Over the next several months, Noble Thrive by 5 will be working in the community to find employers to join the program. At the same time, we will be finalizing the income guidelines for families and streamlining the application process.
Employers interested in learning more are encouraged to call Anderson at 260-445-3369 or emailing her at jenna@noblethriveby5.org.
It’s important to note that this program will address affordability, but there is still work to do to meet the challenges surrounding capacity and quality.
Noble Thrive by 5 is developing a number of initiatives that will increase capacity so that parents can find care when and where they need it and they can be assured that they have access to a quality program that suits their family.
Anderson and the early childhood education coalition are also working on initiatives to help skill up staff at local day cares and help improve programs that will spur development and prepare children for the start of their formal education in kindergarten and beyond.
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