The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Education Office of Kindergarten Readiness, has been awarded a $42 million federal grant. These dollars will be used over three years to implement programmatic changes that will improve Indiana’s capacity to recruit early educators, increase access to early learning opportunities for students in unserved areas and ultimately, support families as they make important decisions regarding their child’s education.

Learn more about the awarded federal grant to FSSA, and what it means for Hoosier families and child care providers by accessing this news release.

The 2023 Indiana Summit on Out-of-School Learning will showcase and celebrate perspectives from out-of-school time providers across the state. The Summit brings together youth programs, community partners, and afterschool advocates to connect, access practical resources, and advance learning beyond the school day for Indiana’s youth. Join us to share your story and help elevate the quality and outcomes of out-of-school time in Indiana.

Dates: April 25 & 26, 2023
Location: Embassy Suites Conference Center | Noblesville, IN

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Join the Indiana Afterschool Network and Covering Kids & Families of Indiana to learn about an innovative opportunity for childcare providers to access low-cost health insurance coverage.

This webinar is for all childcare providers – administrators, directors, and leadership will learn how to create opportunities for their employees to access health coverage. Individual professionals will learn how to connect with a local expert to access health coverage for themselves and their families, whether they are full time or part time.

Join the webinar Thursday, February 9, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.

If you’re looking for brain-based strategies to support positive youth behaviors during program settings and beyond, consider joining the three-part Trailblazer series hosted by the Indiana Afterschool Network. These virtual sessions empower afterschool professionals with resources and strategies to create impact in their programs and organizations. These sessions will cover how behaviors are learned and influenced, teaching and developing self-control and regulation, de-escalation strategies, and more.

The first session, “Understanding Youth Behavior,” is Wednesday, February 8, at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Join music therapist, early childhood consultant and author, Dr. Anne Meeker Watson for this engaging webinar. You can expect a rousing session that will be equal parts sign language instruction, music, play, and JOY.

In this interactive and informative presentation to learn:

• Simple steps to get started signing with young children
• Key benefits of signing with young children, including support of oral language, regulation, routines and transitions, pre-literacy, and child-directed experience
• The benefits of combining sign and song for child development
• Easy ways to incorporate signing across the environments and routines of your day with young children

Register Here

To create more inclusive ecosystems requires educators to explore Loose Parts and to take a risk by suspending their previous conceptions of how children learn. Educators must play with Loose Parts, explore them, and create with them until the materials feel less risky and their value becomes apparent. I invite you, the reader, to find yourself feeling inspired or curious about your unexpected discoveries. When we observe how children play with Loose Parts, we find that they not only relax but also become more open to new experiences and change.

As a child care provider in Indiana, you have a lot to navigate to ensure children in your care are thriving and families feel supported. The CCRR Network launched the Family Resource Navigator as a way for families to connect to resources with ease. The Family Resource Navigator is an online resource bank where families can search for free and reduced-cost support in their area. Families can choose to connect directly with organizations or research early care and education-related topics. We encourage you to

share this resource with your families.

We are here to help too! If a family prefers to connect over the phone, they can call us at

Chances & Services for Youth (CASY), 812-232-3952.

There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month - reading, arts and crafts, learning about the history. One easy way to incorporate it each day is to listen to a Black musical artist each morning. I encourage you to find music from different periods of time and genres.