Childcare

Childcare: A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

A parent in Putnam County has fewer than 10 licensed childcare options for the entire county. Three accept infants. That means parents — usually moms — are being forced to choose between going to work and caring for their children. That is not a family values agenda. That is families falling through the cracks.

The Problem

Indiana's childcare system is in freefall. After using federal pandemic funds to expand childcare vouchers to roughly 70,000 children, the state froze new enrollment in December 2024 when those funds expired without state replacement. The waitlist has swelled to approximately 31,000 children as of September 2025, with no new vouchers expected until at least 2027.

Then the state made it worse. In October 2025, reimbursement rates were cut — infant and toddler rates by 10%, preschool by 15%, and school-age by 35%. Providers are losing a combined $3.7 million per week. Nineteen percent have closed at least one classroom. Eleven percent expect to close entirely within a year.

Putnam County has only 8 to 9 licensed or registered childcare providers for a population of nearly 38,000 people — placing it at or near childcare desert status. Only 3 providers accept infants. Average monthly childcare cost is $641, which sounds modest but represents a significant burden for families earning near the median income. Montgomery County has roughly 19 registered providers — somewhat better, but still constrained.

To make matters worse, eligibility for state childcare assistance was tightened from 150% of the federal poverty level ($48,225 for a family of four) to 135% ($43,403) — cutting out many working families who need help the most.

There are legislative proposals on the table. HB 1068 would use a $300 million state fund to restore childcare and Pre-K programs. SB 27 would expand income eligibility and raise reimbursement rates. But passage is uncertain, and families cannot wait.

Where Kelsey Stands

Kelsey founded the Greencastle Summer Enrichment Program 38 years ago because she saw children in this community who needed support. She has spent her life building programs for kids and families. She understands that childcare is not a personal problem — it is an economic issue. When parents cannot find affordable care, they cannot work. When they cannot work, businesses cannot hire. When businesses cannot hire, the whole community suffers.

What She'll Fight For

• Restore childcare voucher enrollment and end the freeze that has left 31,000 children on a waitlist
• Reverse the reimbursement rate cuts that are forcing providers to close classrooms and shut their doors
• Expand eligibility for childcare assistance so working families are not punished for earning just above an arbitrary line
• Support the creation of new childcare providers in Putnam County, which is at or near childcare desert status
• Pass HB 1068 and SB 27 to invest in childcare and Pre-K programs statewide

"When a working parent has to quit their job because there is no one to watch their baby, that is not a personal failure — that is a policy failure. Childcare is the foundation everything else is built on. You cannot have a strong economy if parents cannot get to work."