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NWI Forum, TPMA Partner to Conduct Childcare Plan

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The Northwest Indiana Forum has teamed up with national consulting firm, TPMA, to conduct a Regional Child Care Impact Analysis and Action Plan in Northwest Indiana.

In regions across the country, employers have been exploring possibilities for innovative and creative solutions to support employees’ need for childcare. The Northwest Indiana Forum Foundation seeks a comprehensive economic development-focused analysis of the current state of childcare in the Region, encompassing Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Jasper, Newton, and Pulaski counties. This analysis aims to evaluate the needs, deficiencies, and obstacles faced by parents willing to work but unable to do so, as well as by employers seeking to enhance labor force participation.

The analysis will identify the implications for parents, children, communities, and employers by utilizing available demographic, childcare data, peer studies review, legislative initiatives, and stakeholder engagements such as surveys and focus groups.

Furthermore, the analysis will assess the utilization of childcare vouchers across the region, and examine employment figures, wages, and educational credentials within the childcare workforce. This thorough analysis will guide the organization’s Employer Child Care Investment Strategy.

Acknowledging the absence of a universally applicable solution to boosting workforce participation
among work-willing parents and regional employers, the initiative proposes an employer childcare
investment strategy. Informed by rigorous analysis, this strategy will offer various options for employers to consider in supporting their current and prospective employees.

The Employer Child Care Investment Strategy should be released in June 2025.

Recently, NWI Forum’s Child Care Committee attended a roundtable discussion sponsored by the Porter County Community Foundation. Dr. Dan Wuori author of ‘The Daycare Myth’ shared his insights about misconceptions surrounding daycare. The discussion was focused on a fundamental rethinking of attitudes toward everything prenatal health to young children themselves, and the importance of including infants, birth to the age of three, in the important education spectrum.

“Insufficient child care availability is costing the State of Indiana billions in lost economic activity every year,” said Indiana State Senator Ed Charbonneau. “I left the event with a better understanding of the meaningful connection between quality child care and the education spectrum. Maybe rather than thinking K-12 we should be thinking birth-12.”