Childcare is an Essential Infrastructure

High-quality, affordable childcare is not a luxury. It is an essential infrastructure for working families and a strong economy.

As a pastor, community advocate, and early-childhood education leader, I have seen firsthand how the lack of affordable childcare forces parents, especially mothers, out of the workforce, strains family finances, and limits opportunity for our children. Indiana must do better.

I support public investments that expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare, raise wages for early-childhood educators, and stabilize childcare providers so they can remain open and serve their communities. That includes protecting and expanding Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) eligibility, supporting employer–childcare partnerships, and ensuring reimbursement rates reflect the true cost of quality care.

Childcare should not cost more than college, and no family should have to choose between going to work and ensuring their child is safe, nurtured, and learning. Putting families first means making childcare affordable, accessible, and sustainable for the long term.