A Data-Informed Look at the Early Care and Education Gap
We are proud to support communities as they invest in early care and education to build a stronger workforce. Recently, Boone County, Indiana, took a major step forward by commissioning a county-wide early childhood study to better understand the current landscape of child care. Our team was honored to play a role in that effort.
The Boone County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) hired Transform Consulting Group (TCG) to create a Boone County Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Needs Assessment to provide a comprehensive look at child care supply and demand, family access, affordability, and workforce needs.
Child care is essential in helping children develop critical life skills while also supporting parents’ ability to work, ultimately improving economic mobility for families. About two-thirds–or 67%–of children under 6 may need care because all parents in the home are working. More than 600 children in Boone County lack access to licensed child care—a gap that strains working families and employers alike.
Based on the findings of the study, TCG developed goals and strategies that can serve as a roadmap for Boone County to improve child care while also supporting the Boone County workforce.
Goal 1: Improve Funding, Infrastructure, and Sustainability
Goal 2: Increase Capacity, Access, and Quality
Goal 3: Support the Child Care Workforce
As a follow-up to the report, we facilitated three webinars to present and discuss the findings and solutions with partners across Boone County – from school leaders and employers to child care providers and parents.
We are excited to see Boone County make progress on implementing the goals and strategies of the Boone County Child Care Study through some recent exciting developments in the county. Boone County EDC and the Boone County Early Learning Coalition recently secured a grant through United Way of Central Indiana’s Empower to Educate initiative. This new funding will strengthen the early childhood workforce and support ongoing strategies to address the gaps identified in our report. You can read more about these announcements here:
- Boone County EDC News: Empowering Early Childhood Educators
- Community Foundation of Boone County Announcement
We look forward to continued collaboration with Boone County and other communities working to create a more accessible, affordable, and high-quality early childhood system.
If your organization is seeking a landscape analysis study for your community, Transform Consulting Group is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can support your goals.
