Licensed Early Childcare Capacity
Why we track this indicator
State licensure guidelines helps to ensure that childcare centers are adequately equipped to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children.
Licensed Early Childcare Capacity Data Breakdown
Status: Gray
Definition: Early Learning Connections provides the total capacity of licensed childcare centers in Elkhart County. A childcare center obtains their license through the State of Indiana only after completing inspections and additional trainings through Indiana-Licensing and Education Access Depot (I-LEAD).
Source: Early Learning Connections
Last Updated: January 2025
Mitigating Factors: This indicator was changed from number of licensed child care centers to total capacity of licensed child care centers.
Methodology
Methodology: The capacity of licensed early childcare centers is compared to the previous quarter.
Goal: To observe an increase in the capcity of licensed childcare centers compared to the previous quarter.
Traffic Light:
Green: more than 1% increase in the total capacity of licensed childcare centers compared to the previous quarter
Gray: within +/- 1% of the total capacity of licensed childcare centers compared to the previous quarter
Red: more than a 1% decreased in the total capacity of licensed childcare centers compared to the previous quarter
Supporting Research
Deserts and Hubs
Nearly 1.6 million children lived in Indiana in 2017. Of those, a third (506,000) are 5 years of age and younger.
Indeed, the size of the preschool-age population will grow statewide over the coming years. However, growth will vary across the state.
Health and Safety of Child Care Centers: An Analysis of Licensing Specialists’ Reports of Routine, Unannounced Inspections
We assessed the prevalence of regulatory noncompliance of licensed child care centers and identified factors associated with improved compliance.
Child Care and Early Education is a Social Determinant of Health—For Children and Adults
More than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, child care solutions for families remain scarce. A high-stakes problem typically confined to parents with children younger than five, lack of child care has now become a near-universal challenge, with remote K-12 learning upending care infrastructure for families with school-aged children as well.
Child Care Setting Classification by State
Few settings offer greater opportunity for improving our nation’s health than the child care environment. The experiences of early childhood, good and bad, lay the foundation for a lifetime.
Become a Child Care Provider
If you are interested in becoming a child care provider but don't know what type of provider you are, please read the Indiana Child Care Definitions and refer to the information below about the process for becoming a licensed child care home, licensed child care center or unlicensed registered child care ministry.
Quality Rated Childcare Programs and Social Determinants of Health in Rural and Non-Rural Georgia
Early childhood is linked to school readiness and early school achievement. Through its Quality Rated (QR) program, which was designed to improve the quality of care in early childhood programs, the state of Georgia has been a trailblazer in funding universal preschool and in improving the quality of childcare programs.
Related Indicators
Click to see more data trends related to Licensed Early Childcare Centers
Early Learning Connections
The mission of Early Learning Connections is to provide a variety of high-quality early learning programs that foster a safe and positive culture through kindness and respect to meet the comprehensive needs of families.
Indicators in Action
The ‘Data Action Mini Grant’ program will provide low barrier grants to collaborating partners which will help increase cross-system collaboration and facilitate the community response to needs and/or gaps identified through the Elkhart County Child Dashboard. Applicants may request up to $2,000. Two or more applicants can collaborate for collaborative action based upon one or more data indicators and increase the grant request. By leveraging the ‘Data Action Mini Grant’ program partners can have a platform that helps to inform community goals and creates a stronger sustainability platform for their programs.
For a copy of the 1-page proposal template click here or email David Wiegner.