Foundations for the Future

    Indiana's Childcare Access Report

    Foundations for the Future: Indiana’s Childcare Access Report offers a refreshed, interactive look at how well the state’s early learning system is serving Hoosier children and working families. 

    Understanding Access to Childcare in Indiana

    Focusing on childcare capacity, quality and affordability, this report highlights where access exists, where gaps remain and how conditions are changing over time. Building on analysis conducted since 2021, this dynamic dashboard allows users to explore statewide and local trends, filter by program characteristics and better understand the childcare landscape in their area. 

    This quarter’s report includes data about where children are receiving care—whether in regulated early learning programs or through informal care provided by family, friends and neighbors. The data highlights the diverse ways families choose to meet their childcare needs.

    Highlights from the Report

    67.6 %

    There are enough childcare seats for only two-thirds of children with working parents. 

    50.7 %

    Only half of all seats are within high-quality programs.

    $ 9351

    Families spend 10.3% of their annual household income on childcare.

    Explore the Foundations for the Future experience below.

    Want a larger view? Click the expand icon in the bottom right corner of the dashboard to open it in full screen.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How is Foundations for the Future different from the Closing the Gap report?

    While Closing the Gap was issued once a year, Foundations for the Future is updated on a quarterly basis to provide real-time data on Indiana’s evolving early education landscape. Using lessons learned from Closing the Gap, we streamlined our calculations to make it easier to see how we arrive at the essential components of access: capacity, quality and affordability. We’ve also condensed the local-level maps into one dashboard, making it easier to find everything in one place.  

    How are access zones calculated?

    Families cross census tracts and county boundaries to attend programs. To improve equity between rural and urban areas, Foundations for the Future calculates access zones based on a 15-minute drive time from the population center of each tract.

    What is the difference between this report and the Brighter Futures Indiana Data Center?

    There are two main differences between Foundations for the Future and the Brighter Futures Indiana Data Center. First, while Brighter Futures uses only programs regulated by the State of Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, Foundations for the Future includes additional early childhood programs from other sources such as the Indiana Department of Education. Additionally, Brighter Futures does not utilize the concept of access zones. County-level reporting is based on programs located within county boundaries and does not include those programs close enough to be accessible to a particular county.     

    How often will this data be updated?

    Updates will occur on a quarterly basis. Be sure to bookmark this page to check regularly for new insights.  

    Can I compare data from last year’s Closing the Gap to this year’s Foundations for the Future: Childcare Access Report?

    You can compare statewide data like overall capacity, average cost of childcare and proportion of high quality programs. Because we’ve improved our method for calculating access zones, county and census-tract level comparisons using Closing the Gap data are not comparable.  

    How can I print or share an image of my county data?

    Once you’ve navigated to the “County Insights” page and selected your county, you can share the data by taking a screenshot of the page and sharing the image.  

    What are the data sources for the Foundations for the Future report?

    Census Bureau 

    U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months. American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table C17002. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.C17002?q=C17002:+Ratio+of+Income+to+Poverty+Level+in+the+Past+12+Months&g=040XX00US18$1400000. 

    U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Sex by Age. American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B01001. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01001?q=B01001:+Sex+by+Age&g=040XX00US18$1500000.

    U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Median Family Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Presence of Own Children Under 18 Years. American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B19125. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B19125?q=B19125:+Median+Family+Income+in+the+Past+12+Months+(in+2024+Inflation-Adjusted+Dollars)+by+Presence+of+Own+Children+Under+18+Years&g=040XX00US18$1400000. 

    U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Age of Own Children Under 18 Years in Families and Subfamilies by Living Arrangements by Employment Status of Parents. American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B23008. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B23008?q=b23008&g=040XX00US18$1400000. 

    Indiana State Government 

    Early Learning Indiana (2026). worklifesystems [Unpublished database]. Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Work Life Systems. 

    Early Learning Indiana (2026). sfdcanalytics [Unpublished database]. Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Child Care Information System. 

    TCC Solutions (2026). RCCS [Unpublished database]. Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Child Care Information System. 

    Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.) Accredited Non-Public School Enrollment. Data Center & Reports, Attendance & Enrollment. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.in.gov/doe/files/accredited-non-public-school-enrollment-2011-26.xlsx. 

    Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.) School Enrollment by Grade Level. Data Center & Reports, Attendance & Enrollment. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.in.gov/doe/files/school-enrollment-grade-2006-26.xlsx. 

    Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.) Indiana School Directory. Data Center & Reports, General School Information. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.in.gov/doe/files/2025-2026-school-directory-2025-10-27.xlsx. 

    Family and Social Services Administration (n.d.) CCDF overview. Statistics & Reports. Retrieved June 3, 2026, from https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/files/CCDFOverview.pdf. 

    Hoosiers By The Numbers. (n.d.) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) – Not Seasonally Adjusted. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://hoosierdata.in.gov/dpage.asp?id=32&view_number=1&menu_level=&panel_number=2#. 

    U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

    US Housing Data. (n.d.) 2025 Fair Market Rents. Indiana Fair Market Rents. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.ushousingdata.com/fair-market-rents/indiana. 

    Institute of Education Sciences (IES) 

    National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.)  U.S. Skills Map: State and County Indicators of Adult Literacy and Numeracy. PIACC Skills Map. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/skillsmap/. 

      

    Explore Historical Closing the Gap Data