Action steps for child care programs affected by flooding

Recent flooding across central Indiana has affected homes, businesses, and child care programs alike. For child care professionals, a flood can mean damaged facilities, disrupted care, and difficult questions about what to do next. We’re here to connect you to information, support, and connections you need to respond, recover, and keep serving children and families.

Important tips for all Hoosiers in affected areas

Central Indiana is experiencing historic flooding that has prompted safety warnings, road closures, and evacuation notices in affected communities. All residents, including child care professionals, should stay aware of local emergency alerts, avoid flooded roadways, and monitor updates from local officials as conditions change. Read more tips from FreePressIndiana news.

News and supports for individual counties

Follow your individual city/town’s updates closely, as conditions and support are changing frequently. Here are just a few places to start:

• Indianapolis: text INDYFLOOD26 to 67283 for updates
• City of Fishers web page
• City of Carmel web page
• Town of Rocky Ripple Facebook page

If you are not in one of the above communities, rely on Indiana 2-1-1 to get connected to organizations that can help with your individual needs. 2-1-1 is also a great place to send families who you serve who are affected by the floods.

What child care programs should know

Child Care Aware® of America’s flood resources offer national tools and publications built specifically for child care programs, including guidance on health and safety considerations, reopening after a flood, and supporting children’s emotional needs during and after a disaster.

If your child care program is affected: notifying OECOSL

If flooding has affected your program’s ability to operate safely, whether through facility damage, power loss, water intrusion, road access issues, or staff or family displacement, it is essential to notify Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) as soon as possible. Here’s why this step matters:

• Licensing compliance: OECOSL requires licensed and registered child care programs to report closures, relocations, or any condition that affects a program’s ability to meet health and safety standards. Prompt notification helps keep your program in good standing.
• Access to support: Reporting an emergency situation to OECOSL can connect your program to guidance on next steps, including how to handle a temporary closure, relocate care, or resume operations safely.

How to notify OECOSL:

1. Contact your assigned licensing consultant directly, by phone or email, as soon as it is safe to do so.
2. Be prepared to share your program’s license number, the nature of the flooding impact, whether the program is closed or operating with modifications, and an expected timeline for reopening, if known.
3. Document any damage with photos or notes before cleanup begins. This documentation can support both your licensing conversation and any disaster relief or insurance claims.
4. Follow up in writing (email is best) to keep a clear record of when and how you notified the office.

Other considerations for licensed/regulated programs

Beyond the reporting step outlined above, OECOSL maintains several policies that directly apply to flood-related closures and conditions. Make sure to review the reopening after a flood policy before resuming operations, since it outlines the health and safety steps a program must complete before children can return to care. If flooding has caused a power outage, their no electric policy explains how long a program may operate without electricity and what conditions must be met to continue caring for children safely during an outage.

Water safety is a related concern after flooding, particularly in areas where municipal water systems have been compromised. The boil water FAQ addresses what a boil water advisory means for a child care program and what steps are required to keep drinking water, food preparation, and handwashing safe until the advisory is lifted.

Financial and practical support for those affected

Several organizations have stepped up to help residents and organizations affected by the flooding:

• Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) has compiled a list of ways community members and organizations can give or receive support following recent Indiana natural disasters, including options for direct assistance to affected families and organizations.
• Indiana’s State Disaster Relief Fund, administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, provides financial assistance to eligible individuals and households recovering from a declared disaster. Their web page outlines eligibility and assistance amounts; child care professionals experiencing personal property damage should review it directly, since qualification details can vary by declaration.
• Ready.gov’s flood page provides general flood preparedness and response guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including how to stay safe during a flood and recover safely afterward. Additional federal and local resources are linked at the bottom of that page and are worth a full review.