I'm a parent or caregiver
Search child care programs, compare them 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). Owen County 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.
Opening by early November 2026
A new early learning center is coming to Spencer
- Run by SCCAP
- On the library grounds
- Focus on infants & toddlers
South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP) is opening the Jack DeFord Early Learning Center on the grounds of the Owen County Public Library, as part of Indiana's Micro-Facility Pilot Program. Our coalition, Uplands Smart Start and SCCAP applied together, and the state approved the proposal in August 2026. The center is approved to serve children from infancy through preschool, with a focus on infants and toddlers — the age group families often find hardest to place. SCCAP will share available spaces, hours, tuition and how to enroll as soon as they're set.
Tell us about your child care needs
Owen County is gathering input from families on current child care needs, interest in new options, and before- and after-school care. It takes just a few minutes.
For 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.
Start 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 — free of charge. 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, the state's Emerging Provider Referral Form connects you with a specialist who can answer your questions and guide you through opening your child care business. 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.
For employers
Child care keeps Owen County working
When parents can't find care, they turn down jobs or leave the workforce. Local employers can help close the gap — and get recognized for it.
- Get recognized as a Best Place for Working Parents® with a free, confidential, 3-minute online self-assessment.
- See how Indiana's employer child care tax credit and the federal credit for employer-provided child care work.
Talk it through with Rena Broadnax, Uplands Smart Start's Employer Partnerships Manager.
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.
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