Regional employers consider how to make it easier for parents to manage work — and life
For many working parents, the day begins long before they arrive at the office, factory floor or job site.
Their days start with getting children dressed, fed and transported to school or daycare. When childcare arrangements fall through, the consequences ripple far beyond the household. Employees miss work, businesses lose productivity and local economies feel the impact.
“Childcare is a foundational economic infrastructure issue,” said Jennifer Gadzala, Northwest Indiana Forum grants director. “A lack of affordable, accessible childcare is suppressing workforce participation, hurting businesses and costing the Region up to $1 billion annually, but strategic investment could unlock major economic growth.”
The challenge facing the Region is significant. A 2025 Northwest Indiana Forum report found 5,000 “work-willing parents” in Northwest Indiana lack access to childcare needed to maintain employment. Approximately 81% of employers are affected by childcare-related workforce issues.
“It’s important to recognize that childcare is one piece of the pie driving this ecosystem,” said Kasandra Tenbarge, First Things First Porter County associate director.
The numbers illustrate a growing reality: For many parents, affordable, reliable childcare is often the deciding factor in whether they can work.
“It is crucial for us to get this information out to our regional business owners as they need to be part of the solution to this crisis,” Gadzala said.
Hidden barriers
Parents often struggle to find reliable, high-quality childcare that fits their budgets and work schedules.
For some families, childcare expenses rival housing costs. Full-time childcare can consume a substantial portion of a household’s income, especially for families with multiple children.
To manage childcare costs, parents often face difficult choices. They reduce their work hours or turn down promotions that require longer schedules. When the cost of care outweighs the financial benefits of employment, they leave the workforce. The pressure is acute for families who don’t qualify for assistance programs but still strain to meet childcare expenses.
Availability can be as problematic as affordability. Many daycare schedules don’t align with manufacturing, health care, or retail jobs requiring early morning, evening, or weekend shifts. In some communities, the supply of childcare slots doesn’t meet demand. Available spots may be too far away to make daily drop-offs practical.
Single parents face added challenges. Without another adult to help manage schedules, a sick child, school closure, or canceled daycare arrangement can jeopardize employment.
The result is a childcare system many families describe as difficult to access and difficult to afford.
When childcare falls apart, work often falls apart. The results cost families and employers.
Employer costs
Historically, childcare was viewed as a personal responsibility.
Employers are recognizing the issue affects their bottom line. Employee turnover is expensive. Recruiting, hiring, and training replacements can cost thousands of dollars. When parents leave jobs because childcare arrangements become unsustainable, businesses absorb those costs.
Absenteeism presents another challenge. Employees dealing with childcare disruptions may miss work unexpectedly, creating scheduling difficulties and reducing productivity.
“Most parents aren’t struggling because they don’t want to work hard,” said Katie Fentress, COO of Valparaiso-based WeCreate Media. “They’re trying to navigate those unexpected moments while still showing up for their families and their teams. Those are the moments where workplace culture either adds stress or helps relieve it.”
Rather than asking employees to choose between career and family responsibilities, many companies are exploring ways to help workers manage both.
Childcare options
Working parents rely on traditional childcare providers, family support networks, and community organizations.
Private, faith-based, and home childcare centers are typical options. Organizations like the YMCA of Greater Michiana offer preschool programs, before- and after-school care, and summer camps to support working families.
Family caregiving is one of the most common childcare arrangements nationwide. However, relying on family networks isn’t always sustainable, particularly as older adults remain in the workforce longer or live farther from relatives.
A healthy childcare ecosystem requires a mix of providers capable of meeting varying family needs. South Bend-based Bright Beginnings Family Childcare is one example, serving parents who work early mornings and long evening shifts.
“Most childcare runs on a 9-to-5 schedule, but the families we serve don’t,” said Ramal Taylor, Bright Beginnings founder and executive director.
Bright Beginnings is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The facility recently launched a drop-in service.
“We built scheduling and booking technology that lets parents reserve and manage care the way they manage everything else in their lives, on their phone, in real time, instead of being locked into rigid contracts that assume every family works the same hours,” Taylor said. “I believe reliable childcare is workforce infrastructure; when it works, parents can work.”
Hammond-based Gifted Hands Academy is filling a different gap. The academy offers childcare to parents enrolled in its healthcare programs.
“One of the greatest barriers to employment and career advancement for parents is access to reliable childcare,” said Tiffany Stokes, Gifted Hands Academy program director. “Programs like ours demonstrate how targeted childcare support can help parents complete workforce training, earn industry-recognized credentials, and move toward long-term economic stability for their families.”
Redefining flexibility
One strategy employers are adopting is greater workplace flexibility.
“Flexibility means different things to different people,” Fentress said. “Flexibility isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about giving people enough autonomy to handle real life while still being accountable for results.”
Hybrid work arrangements are popular. Employees work remotely several days each week and report to the office on designated days. Remote work can eliminate commutes and help parents manage childcare logistics.
Other employers offer flexible start and end times. Workers begin earlier or later depending on family needs. Compressed workweeks represent another option. Employees work longer days in exchange for an additional day off each week.
Manufacturing environments often have fewer opportunities for remote work, but some companies are introducing flexible shift scheduling, shift-swapping systems, and expanded paid leave policies.
Flexibility helps parents navigate the unexpected disruptions that accompany raising children.
“As a mom of three, I’ve lived this more times than I can count. One of the most common situations is getting a call from daycare in the middle of a packed workday,” Fentress said. “In that moment, you’re not thinking about policies or benefits. You’re just trying to solve the problem. When people know what actually matters, they can make decisions with confidence instead of feeling like they have to prove they’re committed every time life gets complicated.”
On-site care
Some regional employers are establishing on-site childcare facilities.
Under the leadership of Susan and Wade Kohler, Portland, Indiana-based Pioneer Packaging established Toddlertown in 2023. The daycare facility serves employees and community members.
“We’ve had a lot of young people we’ve wanted to keep, but it’s difficult for them to find daycare in the area,” Susan Kohler said. “We knew we needed good local daycare to keep those moms and dads working. We also knew our sons, who we wanted to work in the business, would have those same needs.”
On-site care provides convenient access to childcare and offers peace of mind during the workday. Parents can remain close to their children while maintaining employment.
“It’s beneficial to retain employees and to hire the most qualified candidates,” Kohler said. “More applicants are looking for that childcare benefit. We’ve reduced our turnover and training expenses because people aren’t leaving.”
On-site childcare is rare. The approach requires investment, space and ongoing management. Licensing, staffing and regulatory compliance add complexity.
“We had to save a lot of money to make this happen,” Kohler said. “We grew up here and moved back. This commitment is part of our making a difference in this community.”
Regional efforts
State and local leaders are increasingly focusing on childcare as an economic development issue.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun recently unveiled a plan to make childcare more affordable and accessible. Community organizations and businesses are working to address the issue.
In June 2026, United Way Northwest Indiana launched its Community Impact Grant Program to improve the lives of working families. The NWI Forum’s study underscored the need for employers to understand their employees’ challenges.
“It’s time to dig in,” said Tenbarge of First Things First. “We need to convene employers and have conversations.”
First Things First Porter County is implementing an employer-based strategy. Their Family Forward NWI WORKBook aims to help businesses and parents navigate childcare and the workplace. The organization recently hosted the Family Forward NWI Employer Lab, bringing together local employers to discuss the WORKBook.
“The learning lab is where the rubber meets the road,” Tenbarge said. “We’re making time and space to have conversations devoted to finding solutions that benefit businesses and families.”
Fentress attended the lab and surveyed parents at WeCreate Media. Unsurprisingly, parents struggled with unexpected sick days, childcare costs and feeling the need to always be available.
“Something that is overlooked is staying fully engaged in work while navigating the realities of raising a family,” Fentress said. “The biggest challenge isn’t choosing between work and family. It’s trying to be fully present for both when life doesn’t go according to plan.”
But Fentress said employers “can’t solve the cost of childcare on their own.”
“What we can do is recognize the pressure it creates and think carefully about the ways we support families through flexibility, trust and understanding,” she said
Flexible scheduling is affordable and impactful. Some organizations offer childcare referral services that help employees identify available providers. Others offer dependent care flexible spending accounts, childcare stipends or backup childcare assistance.
Employees are more likely to remain with organizations where they feel supported rather than penalized for family obligations.
Workforce changes
The childcare challenge facing Northwest Indiana didn’t emerge overnight.
Population growth, changing workforce expectations, and rising costs have combined to create a complex issue with no single solution. But the momentum to build a workforce that works for families is growing.
Making work more accessible for parents requires affordable childcare, expanded provider capacity, supportive workplace policies, and community collaboration. When parents have dependable childcare options, families gain greater financial stability. Businesses and communities benefit from economic growth.
“Most parents aren’t looking for special treatment. They’re looking for workplaces that acknowledge real life,” Fentress said. “The biggest opportunity for employers isn’t necessarily offering more benefits. It’s creating an environment where people know what’s expected of them, have some flexibility in how they meet those expectations, and feel trusted to do their jobs well.” •
Read more stories from the current issue of Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Flexibility for working mother
Heroic values on display
One-stop print shop
Power of collaboration
Avoid the unexpected
Beyond the prescription pad
New life for dormant buildings
Banks keep branching out
Professional advancement
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