As part of the DC Childcare Task Force, I'd like to say our providers need much more support from our community. They work diligently in their homes and centers today, but their challenges can be many like paying competitive wages and benefits, finding qualified teachers and having enough capacity/seats open to serve our children so parents can get back to work. And the daunting task of understanding all the regulations imposed on them by the state.
Just like we need roads to get to work, we need centers so parents feel comfortable leaving their children so they can go to work or reenter the workforce.
I look forward to working with our community leaders to find the resources we need to not only support current providers, but also open up new seats so we can attract more workforce to our community.

Early childhood education plays a vital role in our state, preparing children with critical learning experiences to support their school and life readiness while supporting their families in working or seeking further education and training, ultimately improving their economic and social mobility.

Unfortunately, Hoosier families often face barriers in accessing child care due to local access gaps, affordability challenges, or misalignments between program offerings and needs. This dynamic leaves
parents in difficult positions as they manage patchwork child care coverage, make trade-offs about care decisions or leave the workforce altogether. These adverse effects trickle over into the business community, costing employers billions in recruitment challenges, absenteeism, and high turnover rates.

Learn more from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce document regarding child care, the challenge, and potential resolutions.

#childcare

Paths to Quality - Dubois County Level 4 Child Care
PROMISE LAND PRESCHOOL, 1971 WEST STATE ROAD 56, JASPER, IN 47546, 812-559-0299
KID CITY USA, 600 N TRUMAN RD, JASPER, IN 47546, 812-848-2273
A KID'S PLACE, 505 EAST FIRST STREET, HUNTINGBURG, IN 47542, 812-683-2755
HUMMINGBIRD DAY CARE MINISTRY, 205 NORTH SECOND AVENUE, HOLLAND, IN 47541, 812-536-4626

Paths to QUALITY Levels of Child Care:

Paths to QUALITY™ is Indiana’s statewide quality rating and improvement system for early care and education. It consists of four levels, and each level builds on the foundation of the previous one. Providers start at Level 1 and work towards national accreditation at the highest level, Level 4. These advancements result in significant quality improvements at every level.

Participation in the program is voluntary, but all Paths to QUALITY programs meet basic health and safety standards. When programs do more to support learning, use a planned curriculum, or reach national accreditation, they achieve a higher-level rating.

Paths to QUALITY is a voluntary system. At each level, programs demonstrate greater quality. Read below to discover Paths to QUALITY levels for your child and family.

To learn more: https://brighterfuturesindiana.....org/parents/healthy