Indiana
Working families in Indiana need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Indiana. But too many working families in Indiana are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Indiana economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 494K children ages 5 and under in Indiana- 64% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Indiana is around $14,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 13% of eligible families in Indiana. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Indiana earn just $29,120 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Indiana’s economy loses $2.2B annually due to child care challenges
Indiana: In The Headlines
Opinion: Child care cuts are bad news for all
News and Tribune | October 8, 2025
According to the First Five Years Fund, more than 30% of working families in the U.S. are unable to access the child care they need for their young children.
“Our mortgage is cheaper than our child care”: Plainfield family highlights growing crisis in Hendricks County
WRTV | oCTOBER 7, 2025
As child care costs soar and availability shrinks, a new county-wide survey aims to uncover solutions for families across Hendricks County.
Indiana Facing Childcare Issues, Families Impacted
WIBC | May 12, 2025
Indiana faces a childcare crisis, and this critical shortage is impacting Indiana families. For over 850,000 young children, there are just 763 licensed childcare centers, ranking Indiana near the bottom nationally for access.
Indiana Resources & News
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