A new program in northeast Indiana could help some parents cover a portion of child care costs. The Tri-Share Plus initiative aims to help employers in 11 counties retain employees and relieve financial stress for families.
The Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition received nearly $5 million last year to launch the Tri-Share Plus program. The program splits the cost of child care between the employee, the employer and Tri-Share Plus funding.
Eight employers are enrolled in the program so far including, YMCA of DeKalb County, Adams Memorial Hospital and Parkview Health.
Allie Sutherland is the executive director of the Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition. She said the first family to enroll in the program expects to save $8,000 a year.
“We know how challenging times are right now, health care is rising, groceries are rising, like transportation, all of the costs all over,” Sutherland said.
READ MORE: New program to lower child care costs for northeast Indiana workers
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The average cost of child care for an infant in Indiana is more than $1,000 a month. That’s more than one-fifth of the median family’s income in the state. Child care-related issues not only impact Hosier families but it also affects employers. According to an Indiana Chamber of Commerce survey, 57 percent of parents with young children missed work or school due to child care-related issues. As a result, child-related turnover and absenteeism costs employers about $4 billion a year.
Sutherland said she’d like to see the program expand. To qualify, families must have children 5 years old or younger and earn between 150-400 percent of the federal poverty level. More information about the program is available on the coalition's website.
Timoria is our labor and employment reporter. Contact her at tcunningham@wfyi.org .
