Advocate for Child Care
Your voice, along with the voices of others, can make a huge impact in early care and education. It may feel overwhelming to try to make a difference on your own. However, there are many advocacy groups that would welcome your passion and elbow grease for the “cause” of improved early care and education as an advocate for child care.
Advocacy Groups in
Indiana and Your Community
Looking for somewhere to make your voice heard close to home? These central Indiana organizations are a great place to start!
Indiana Institute for Working Families
The IIWF promotes public policies to help Hoosier families achieve financial well-being. Using data, they communicate the opportunities and challenges that Hoosiers experience to advance well-being by promoting evidence-based solutions and building coalitions to engage in direct and strategic conversations with policymakers and the public.
Coalition for our Immigrant Neighbors
COIN is a coalition of service providers working together to facilitate and coordinate community efforts to provide legal, psychological, and other services for immigrant families in Central Indiana. They offer various ways to get involved including volunteering and attending their informative monthly meetings.
Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee
ELAC works to ensure children birth to 8 years and their families have access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education programs that keep children healthy, safe and learning. Appointed by the Governor, ELAC offers guidance and input to the Governor’s Office and Indiana General Assembly. The general public is free to attend their meetings.
Marion County Commission on Youth
MCCOY is an advocate, a resource, a capacity builder, and a convener, all to support youth opportunities and outcomes in central Indiana. Join their regular meetings to learn more about how you can help advance important social issues in Indiana.
In*SOURCE
In*SOURCE helps parents of children with disabilities navigate the complicated special education process in the state of Indiana by bridging the gap between schools and parents. Volunteer to work in your local community to provide support and info to other parents.
United Way of Central Indiana
UWCI advocates for the strategic implementation of incoming federal dollars to enhance the quality and accessibility of Indiana’s early childhood education system, leading to increased affordability, capacity and types of high-quality care to meet the needs of Indiana families.
Alliance for Early Success
The Alliance for Early Success is a national nonprofit that works with early childhood policy advocates at the state level to ensure that every child, birth through eight, has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. Visit their website to sign up for advocacy resources and event invitations.
Early Education Works
Early Education Works is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition of state and local chambers, employers, academia, nonprofits, early care and education experts in Indiana. They advocate for the sustained progress for early childhood education across Indiana and are guided by a commitment to access, quality and affordability. Sign up on their website for alerts on how to best advocate in your community.
Immigrant Welcome Center
The IWC is a community organization dedicated to empowering Indy’s immigrants by connecting them to the people, places, and resources they need in order to thrive, empowering them to successfully adapt and integrate. Get involved by volunteering or attending their weekly power calls.
Early Learning Indiana
Early Learning Indiana provides leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services to continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana.
Investing in child care is not just an investment in children and families; it is an investment in the building blocks of our country and communities. And it will take all of us, at all levels, to solve the child care dilemma in Central Indiana and beyond.
Mollie Smith
Executive Director, Child Care Answers
Advocacy Groups
Serving across the U.S.
Hoping to make an impact at the national level? These organizations work to ensure that all children in the United States get access to high quality early care and education.
Child Care Aware of America
CCAoA works with local agencies to advance the child care system. It leads projects that increase the quality and availability of child care, undertakes research, and advocates child care policies to improve the lives of children and families.
Learn More
National Association for the Education of Young Children
NAEYC is a national membership organization working to improve early childhood education through its scholarly journals, conferences, and advocacy.
Learn More
Zero to Three
Zero to Three works to ensure that babies and toddlers benefit from the early connections that are critical to their well-being and development. Connect to learn how you can help advance this work.
Learn More
Raising of America
The Raising of America documentary series explores the impact of social conditions, public polices, and inequities on our society. Partner to host a showing of the documentary or take action in other ways.
Learn More
Contact Your Elected Officials
It's important that your local, state, and federal elected officials know where you stand on the importance of early care and education in your community.
Find Your Officials
Newsletter
Early care and education news to your inbox
Count on our newsletters to get you the most important early care and education news, when you need it. We send a different newsletter each month to either families, child care professionals, or communities/employers. Sign up for one or all today!
