Hoosiers have serious concerns about affordability

So Indiana’s legislators must get serious about childcare

Several years ago, a mother sat in my office with tears in her eyes. She had been offered a better job with higher pay, but she wasn’t celebrating. She was worried. The raise would help her family, but it might also jeopardize the childcare assistance that enabled her to work in the first place.

I have heard versions of her story countless times.

When Hoosiers talk about affordability, the conversation often centers on housing costs, groceries, gas prices, and utility bills. Those concerns are real, but another affordability issue affects thousands of Indiana families every day: childcare. For many working parents, childcare is not optional. It is what allows them to go to work, pursue education, accept promotions, or simply provide for their families.

Yet quality childcare has become increasingly difficult to find and afford.

This issue is personal to me. I serve as senior pastor of Purpose of Life Ministries in Indianapolis; I’m also the founder of Purpose of Life Academy, an early childhood education center that serves children and families from diverse backgrounds. For years, I have sat across the table from parents who are trying to make impossible choices.

• I have met mothers who work full-time but still struggle to pay for childcare.

• I have met grandparents raising grandchildren on fixed incomes.

• I have met families who earn too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to comfortably afford quality care.

• I have met parents who turn down job opportunities because they cannot find a safe and affordable place for their children.

Politicians ignore a huge factor in economic development

When politicians discuss workforce development, they often focus on training programs, attracting businesses, and creating jobs. Those efforts are important, but there is a simple truth we cannot ignore: parents cannot participate fully in the workforce without access to affordable childcare.

The childcare crisis is not simply a family issue. It is an economic issue. It is a workforce issue. It is an educational issue. During my recent campaign for political office, childcare repeatedly came up in conversations with working families. Whether I was speaking with parents in urban neighborhoods, suburban communities, or rural towns, the concern was the same: quality childcare is increasingly difficult to afford and to find. The issue transcends geography, race, and political affiliation because it touches nearly every working family.

Affordable, quality childcare is essential infrastructure

Research consistently shows that children who receive quality early childhood education enter school better prepared to learn and are more likely to succeed academically. Investments made during the earliest years often produce benefits that last a lifetime. Yet many childcare providers across Indiana operate on extremely thin margins while trying to maintain quality standards, recruit qualified staff, and keep tuition affordable for families. The result is a system under tremendous strain.

Indiana has an opportunity to lead, but doing so will require statewide leaders to view childcare as critical infrastructure. Just as roads help people get to work, childcare helps people stay employed. Just as schools prepare students for the future, early childhood education prepares children for success before they ever enter kindergarten.

What I hope voters consider this November

As voters consider candidates for statewide office this year, I hope they will ask what plans exist to strengthen Indiana’s childcare system.

• First, Indiana should increase support for childcare assistance programs so that more working families can qualify and maintain eligibility as their incomes grow.

• Secondly, the state should invest in recruiting and retaining childcare professionals. Early childhood educators perform some of the most important work in our communities, yet many struggle with wages that do not reflect the value of their contributions.

• Third, Indiana should expand incentives that help providers improve quality while remaining financially sustainable. Families deserve safe, nurturing, and educational environments, and providers need resources to deliver them.

• Finally, state leaders should engage childcare providers directly when developing policy. Those of us working with children and families every day understand the challenges and opportunities that statistics alone cannot capture.

The future of Indiana depends on strong families, thriving communities, and a prepared workforce. Childcare sits at the intersection of all three. If we are serious about affordability, we must be serious about childcare. Supporting families today is one of the best investments we can make in Indiana’s future.

As a pastor, I believe every child is a gift from God. As an educator, I know every child deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive. As a Hoosier, I believe our state will be judged not simply by the businesses we attract or the roads we build, but by how well we support the children and families who call Indiana home. If we are serious about affordability, workforce development, and Indiana’s future, we must be serious about childcare.

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Reverend Greene lives in Marion County He has served as pastor of Purpose of Life Church in Indianapolis for more than 30 years. He has been married to his wife, Glenda, for 40+ years. They have two children and seven grandchildren.