Some of the plan’s key recommendations include:
• Centralizing resources, information, and communication channels for families seeking child care options.
• Developing a grant/scholarship program to mitigate the financial burden of child care expenses for families with low to moderate income levels.
• Providing support to families of children with special needs.
• Recruiting, retaining and promoting a high-quality child care and education workforce.
• Creating a marketing campaign to promote the value of early childhood education and child care professionals.
A strategic plan has been launched that seeks to expand access to high-quality child care in west-central Indiana.
On Thursday, regional partners and stakeholders announced completion of the Grow Up IN West Central Indiana strategic plan, a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing early childhood education and child care across the region. Funded by the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration grant, the initiative was led by Indiana State University and Ivy Tech Terre Haute, with assistance from the West Central Indiana Partnership under the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, which will oversee its implementation.
A press conference highlighted the plan’s completion and its mission to bolster child care in Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties.
According to Lea Anne Crooks, Ivy Tech Terre Haute chancellor, the plan looks at the gap in terms of need for high-quality child care versus the availability and “how we can strategically move as a community to solve the child care gap issue.”
Ivy Tech works with companies facing workforce challenge issues, and one of those is quality child care so workers have a place to take their children when they are at work, she said.
“We know that people are leaving the workforce or not entering the workforce when they don’t have that option,” Crooks said.
Four major objectives of the plan are:
• To increase availability and expand access to high-quality child care.
• To foster partnerships with local employers, who can contribute to and support child care initiatives that assist with workforce attraction and retention.
• To expand and promote early childhood education and workforce development opportunities for professional and educational growth in the field.
• To generate funding to ensure the sustained financial health of child care initiatives. There are many grant opportunities, Crooks said. Among the plan’s data, it shows that 5,446 children under age 6 in Vigo County may be in need of child care, while the total licensed capacity is for only 3,139 children.
“The gap between the number of children needing care and the limited capacity of child care providers in each county is growing,” according to information provided at the event.
Also, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends child care costs not exceed 7% of household income, “but families with one child in the region are spending more than this.”
In Vigo County, average high-quality care costs about $140 per week, representing nearly 14% of household income.
ISU president Mike Godard cited that data in his remarks.
When looking at the cost of care, available slots as well as the pay scale for early childhood educators, “We find ourselves with some challenges. But along with that I think we have tremendous opportunities through the strategic plan,” Godard said.
The university looks forward to continuing a leadership role through implementation of the child care plan, he said.
Data provided Thursday also indicates that 1,495 people could join the local workforce if safe, reliable and quality child care were available.
Addressing the needs of working families and fostering a supportive child care infrastructure is key to strengthening the west-central Indiana workforce, said Kristin Craig, executive director of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce.
Now, a regional task force is being formed that will implement the plan. It will include representatives of higher education, child care providers, businesses and others.
The task force will begin its work early next year.
“This strategic plan represents a significant step forward for our community. By focusing on early childhood education and support, we are laying a strong foundation for the future success of our children and our region as a whole,” Nancy Rogers, Indiana State vice president for university engagement, said in a statement.
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