I'm a parent or caregiver
Search current openings, compare programs by quality rating, and find free tools to get your child ready for school.
Find child careAn initiative of the Owen County Community Foundation
Child care resources for Owen County families, providers, and future providers.
We're Owen County's front door for child care and early learning. Choose the path that fits you, and we'll point you to your next step.
How can we help you today?
I work in child care
Earn your CDA credential, move up in the state's quality ratings, and find training and support built for Owen County providers.
Get provider supportI want to open a child care program
Owen County families are waiting. Get free, one-on-one local guidance — before you fill out a single form.
Start the conversationWhy this coalition exists
The need, in plain numbers.
Estimated need
852
Owen County children under six who likely need care — about 6 in 10 of all the county's young kids.
Capacity lost
175
Licensed child care spots the county lost in 2025, when two of its largest programs closed.
Regional ranking
2nd lowest
Owen County's child care access among the 10 Indiana Uplands counties — well below the statewide average.
Families are commuting to other counties for care, turning down jobs, or leaving the workforce entirely. The coalition exists to turn that around — by supporting the providers we still have, helping new programs open their doors, and connecting families to what's available right now.
Sources: The Owen News (Dec. 2025)(opens in new tab); Brighter Futures Indiana; Early Learning Indiana (2024). Uplands access index 43.2 vs. 63.8 statewide.
Led by the Owen County Community Foundation
Part of Uplands Smart Start, spanning 10 Indiana Uplands counties
For parents & families
Find child care that fits your family
Child care in Owen County can be hard to come by — but you don't have to search alone. Start here, and if you hit a dead end, tell us. Every gap you report helps us make the case for more care in our county.
New for the 2026–27 school year
After-school care at every S-OCS elementary — just $20 a year
- $20 per child, per year
- All 4 S-OCS elementary schools
- School days until 6 p.m.
- Grades K–6 + tween & teen
Starting August 2026, the Boys & Girls Club of Owen County and Spencer-Owen Community Schools are teaming up to offer "latchkey" after-school care right inside Gosport, McCormick's Creek, Patricksburg, and Spencer elementary schools. Kids stay at their own school every school day until 6 p.m., with a healthy snack and programming focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, character and leadership, and the arts; older kids head to tween and teen programming at Spencer Elementary. To enroll, create a parent account in the Club's MyClubHub portal and complete the 2026–27 membership application — allow 24 hours for processing before your child's first day — or call the Club with any questions.
Search current openings
Indiana's free Child Care Finder lists licensed and registered programs statewide — locations, ages served, hours, and quality ratings — so you can see what's available in and around Owen County right now.
Apply for child care vouchers (CCDF)
Indiana's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers help income-eligible families pay for child care while they work or go to school. New applications join a statewide waitlist, so it pays to apply early — then reconfirm your info every 90 days to keep your place in line.
Apply for On My Way Pre-K
On My Way Pre-K helps income-eligible families send their 4-year-olds to a high-quality pre-K program at no cost the year before kindergarten starts. Apply through Indiana's Early Ed Connect portal — pre-K applications get top priority as spots open up.
Talk to a real person
CASY (Chances and Services for Youth) is the child care resource & referral agency serving Owen County families. Their specialists offer free help finding care and can walk you through what financial assistance is currently available.
Know what the quality ratings mean
Indiana rates participating programs through Paths to Quality, from Level 1 (meets health and safety standards) to Level 4 (nationally accredited). You'll see these levels in Child Care Finder listings — they're a quick way to know what to expect.
Get ready for kindergarten
Coming soon
Simple, free activities and checklists that build the skills kids need on day one. Readiness materials are on the way.
Have a question, or can't find what you need?
Reach out — a real person will get back to you, and every question helps us see where Owen County needs more care.
Email the coalitionFor providers & early educators
You do essential work. The coalition backs you up.
Owen County's early educators make everything else possible — parents' jobs, kids' school readiness, the county's future workforce. Here's what's available to help you go further.
Earn your CDA credential
The Child Development Associate (CDA) is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education. Earning it can mean higher pay for you, a stronger Paths to Quality rating for your program, and eligibility for more grants. Local CDA coursework is coming to Owen County through adult education — get on the list and we'll let you know the moment enrollment opens.
Move up in Paths to Quality
Indiana's four-level rating system isn't just recognition: programs at higher levels qualify for higher reimbursement rates and more grant opportunities — and free support is available at every step.
Become a substitute educator
Local programs need qualified subs. If you'd like to work with young children on a flexible schedule, add your name to the county substitute list and we'll connect you.
More resources on the way
Coming soonA full Owen County provider hub — licensing guides, business supports, a training calendar — is coming in the next phase of this site.
Questions about training, credentials, or grants?
Tell us where you are and what you're working toward — a real person will help you find the right next step and the support to get there.
Email the coalitionStart a child care program
Thinking about opening a child care program?
Families here are waiting for care right now — which means a new home-based or center-based program in Owen County starts with built-in demand. And you won't navigate licensing, funding, or setup alone.
Start with a conversation.
Nicole Richardson, the Uplands Smart Start coordinator for our region, meets one-on-one with anyone exploring child care — at no cost. She'll walk through your options, what licensing involves, and which supports fit your situation. No commitment, and no forms required to get started.
Connect with the state.
When you're ready, Indiana's Child Care Business Interest Form pairs you with an Emerging Provider Specialist for hands-on startup help. Nicole can even complete the form with you, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Most new providers start with zero licensing experience. That's exactly what this support exists for.
About the coalition
Building child care access, together
The Owen County Early Care & Education Coalition brings parents, providers, schools, employers, and civic partners together around one goal: quality early care and education within reach of every Owen County family. It's an initiative led by the Owen County Community Foundation.
The work grew out of the Foundation's 2022 strategic plan, when one need rose to the top — access to high-quality care and learning for children ages zero to five. It's not only a family issue; it's a workforce and economic-development issue for the whole county.
We're part of Uplands Smart Start, a regional early childhood initiative across 10 Indiana Uplands counties, supported by a $7.8 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.'s GIFT VIII program awarded through the Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County. Each county builds its own strategic plan for expanding early learning — the coalition leads that work here in Owen County.
Want to help?
Whether you're an employer, a church with unused classroom space, a retired teacher, or a parent with an hour a month — there's a seat at the table.
Contact the coalition