Allie Sutherland on Why Childcare Is the Key to Workforce Growth in the Midwest | EP. 7

Are we treating childcare as essential infrastructure? When Allie Sutherland moved to Indiana, she had a great job and two young children—but no access to childcare. In this episode of The Midwest Flourish, Allie shares her personal struggle to find affordable, high-quality care and how that experience led her to become the Executive Director of the Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition. Discover how one family’s challenge sparked a regional solution that's helping thousands. 6,600 parents in Northeast Indiana want to work—but can’t, due to lack of affordable childcare. Learn how initiatives like the Tri-Share Plus program and Hoosier Milestones Alliance are working to change that. Highlighted Topics: The Childcare Access Crisis Childcare as Economic Infrastructure The Cost of Childcare Defining Quality in Early Childhood Care Licensed vs. Unlicensed Childcare The Work Willing Parent Study The Tri-Share Plus Program The Hoosier Milestones Alliance Employer Involvement and Retention Challenges State-Level Funding and Policy Setbacks Chapters: 00:00 (Intro) 00:30 (Allie's personal experience) 02:40 (Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition & what it does) 04:20 (Defining affordable childcare) 05:02 (Defining quality childcare) 06:02 (What makes a quality childcare provider?) 07:03 (Safety concerns in childcare providers) 08:50 (How childcare affects workforce and economic development) 16:14 (Hoosier Milestones Alliance) 18:36 (Tri-Share Plus and what it's accomplished) 21:45 (Trends of employers and childcare programs) 24:11 (Challenges at the state level) 26:23 (Annie Casey Foundation) 27:23 (Impact on Allie's family stability after finding childcare) 28:12 (Outro) #affordablechildcare #workforcedevelopment #podcast #economicdevelopment #childcare #earlychildhoodeducation #marketingthemidwest #midwest #childcarecosts #childcareservices #childcareprovider #affordable #themidwestflourish #northeastindiana #indiana #indianaeconomy #workforce #parents #parenting #parentworkforce #education #childhoodeducation