On April 16, Amanda Lopez, President at Transform Consulting Group, presented findings on a community needs assessment study that explains how the lack of quality, affordable care impacts Hendricks County.

To support a growing workforce and community, Hendricks College Network (HCN) engaged Transform Consulting Group (TCG) to conduct a Child Care Needs Assessment. TCG completed the analysis using publicly available data and community feedback. Community feedback engaged 277 individuals representing employers, families, government officials, child care providers, school partners, and community partners.

Child care is essential to a thriving community as it supports parents’ workforce participation, businesses’ productivity, children’s development and the broad economy. Across Hendricks County, the current supply of child care does not meet families’ needs, impacting the broader workforce and local economy.

Some key insights from the study that Amanda presented:

1. The Hendricks County Population and Workforce Are Growing – Hendricks County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The number of children ages 0-4 in Hendricks County is expected to increase 22% by 2050. In addition, the labor force is expected to grow 14% over the next decade, driven by industries with nontraditional  work hours. 
2. Child Care Access Is Insufficient – Three out of four Hendricks County households with young children need child care, which is higher than the state. Hendricks County has an unmet need equivalent to at least 1,129 child care seats, and demand is only expected to grow as the population and workforce increases. 
3. Affordability Is a Key Barrier for Families – Families pay an average of $11,094 per child annually, exceeding affordability benchmarks and higher than the average cost of college tuition. 90% of Hendricks County families identify cost as the primary barrier to child care. 

4. The Economic Impact of Child Care Is Substantial – Existing child care shortages already affect workforce participation, contributing to $46 million in annual employer losses and nearly $92 million in lost wages from parents unable to work. Hendricks County has 1,672 “ready-to-work” parents who remain out of the workforce due to child care barriers. 84% of employers report that child care is a top workforce issue.

Amanda shared recommendations and strategies to improve the child care system in  Hendricks County. Without strategic investment in affordable, accessible, and high-quality child care—particularly care that accommodates nontraditional work schedules—Hendricks County risks constraining labor force growth, losing talent to surrounding counties, and undermining the long-term development of its future workforce.

We look forward to continued collaboration with Hendricks 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.