INDIANA (Free Press Indiana) – Local communities in Indiana are coming up with stopgap measures to stabilize childcare providers and help parents as families continue to wait for state assistance.
29,000 Indiana children were on the waitlist for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers as of July. The vouchers, which are funded by federal and state money, pay for care while low-income parents work or attend school.
Indiana used temporary federal aid to dramatically expand the voucher program during the pandemic. But when that money ran out, the state froze enrollment and reduced subsidies. That set off a crisis for childcare providers, which have been forced to lay off staff, limit classrooms and shut their doors.
Allen County program
Indiana tapped $200 million in short-term state funding in April. That money is expected to fund vouchers for about 14,000 children, which still leaves thousands in need…