Quality early care and learning creates a two-generational impact on children and families.

The Issue Explained

In Indiana, there are over 500,000 children age 0-5, and two-thirds of them need early care and learning so that parents can work. Yet, many children and families cannot access the high-quality early care and learning they need as a result of systemic barriers related to access, affordability and quality.

Research continues to show that a child’s experiences from birth to age 5 have a profound effect on their success later in life, from social and emotional intelligence to health to employment. In fact, 85% of a child’s capacity to learn is developed by the age of five, providing either a strong or weak foundation for their early executive functioning and core social-emotional, self-regulatory and literacy skills.

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…of Indiana’s child care programs rank as high quality.

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… is the annual cost of care for one child, nearly equal to a year of in-state tuition at an Indiana college.

… out of 10 Hoosier children live in a child care desert where there is only one seat for every three children.

High-quality early education from birth to 5 can have a meaningful impact on a child’s success in school and beyond, however, systemic barriers prevent children and families from maximizing this opportunity, limiting their future choices.

Our Solutions

Early Learning Indiana addresses many fundamental issues in early childhood education by operating a network of early lab schools, introducing new solutions for providers and educators and partnering with employers to remove this workforce barrier.

National Organizations, Partners & Leadership

Early Learning Indiana is addressing the fundamental issues in early childhood education, introducing new solutions for providers and educators and operating a network of early learning lab schools.

Fairbanks

Indianapolis is a great city with even greater potential. Working with grantees and other key partners, Fairbanks focuses on tackling some of the city’s biggest challenges, with an aim toward fostering system-wide changes that positively impact the people of Indianapolis.

The State of Indiana

The vision of the Family and Social Services Administration and the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is that every Indiana community will have a strong network of Early Care and Education and Out-of-School Time programs that support the child, the family and local schools.

Lilly Endowment Inc.

In community development, education and religion – the three causes the Endowment was established to support – we seek to identify experienced organizations and emerging efforts that have the potential to address effectively important challenges and needs.

Make a Difference.

All Hoosier children deserve to grow and learn in safe, nurturing and stimulating environments. You can help build their future through gifts of your time, talent and treasure.