N-B Numbers: Stats show county needs to increase quality child care spots by 1,435

Lucinda Nord spoke to the Women United group at the Wells County Public Library Thursday. Nord presented data that shows the county needs to increase quality child care spots by 1,435.

For more information on Nord's talk, pick up the Friday, Aug. 19, News-Banner.

Here are some of the stats that Nord presented:

• Children ages birth to age five comprise 8.3% of total Hoosier population and 1/3 of children under 18.1
• On average, children of working mothers spend 35 hours a week in child care.2
• Licensed/Unlicensed — Homes caring for more than five unrelated children and Centers are required to be licensed in Indiana. Indiana Code 12-17.2-2-8 exempts certain child care providers from licensure requirements (registered ministries, homes caring for <6 unrelated children and temporary programs).

• Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) facts3
    * CCDF is a federal funded subsidy that helps families who are unable to afford child care that is needed for parents to be able to take training and enter the workforce. In last year, Indiana spent $178 million in CCDF (federal funds $164M, plus state match of $33M).
    * Of the total CCDF in SFY13, over $32 million was spent with unlicensed care ($2.6M in unlicensed homes, $2.6M in unlicensed centers and $27M in unlicensed registered ministries).
    * In March 2014, 44,145 Hoosier children’s child care was paid with CCDF. Approximately 75% of CCDF children are served in licensed care and 25% of CCDF children are in unlicensed care.

• In 2008, Indiana implemented a voluntary statewide program, Paths to Quality (PTQ), which aims to raise awareness of quality and provide a standardized method for parents to select quality child care. The first level is ensuring that “health and safety needs of children are met.” Of the 2,335 providers on PTQ, 1,729 are licensed homes, 518 are licensed centers and 77 are ministries.4
• On 4/7/14, FSSA announced new reimbursement rates effective in May that incentivize licensure or participation in PTQ.
• Religious content — Indiana Code does not regulate religious curriculum or programming for any type of child care. All child care providers are permitted to incorporate religious content and programming into their programs. Child care regulations in no way affect Sunday School, Vacation Bible School or part-time programs.
From a Needs Assessment conducted by Indiana Association of Child Care Resource and Referral5
Quality for this report is defined as licensed home, licensed center and reg. ministry participating on Level 1 of PTQ or VCP.

State of Indiana
• Total children birth to 5 is 517,921.
• Total need of children birth to 5 is 348,561.
• Total “quality slots” for children birth to 5 is 100,499, which means that about 28.8% of the children who need care have access to quality spots.
• Need to increase number of quality spots in Indiana by 248,062.

Wells County
• Total children birth to 5 is 2,145.
• Total need of children birth to 5 is 1,444.
• Total “quality slots” for children birth to 5 is 140, which means that about 9.7% of the children who need care have access to quality spots.
• Need to increase number of quality spots in Wells County by 1,435.