Data from a variety of sources indicates that families of children with developmental disabilities in Indiana have a number of unmet childcare related needs. To improve this situation, the Riley Child Development Center (RCDC) at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children and the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral (IACCRR) will be the primary coordinating agencies for this collaborative project, entitled The Indiana Partnership for Inclusive Child Care (IPICC).

This project proposes to develop a model, inclusive childcare system for organizing consumers and providers at the community level. IPICC will coordinate a statewide system of available, accessible, culturally competent, family-centered, developmentally appropriate, healthy and safe, childcare. Emphasis will be placed on providing supports, training and technical assistance for enhanced integration and coordination of existing community-based childcare services. The project will also include the development and enhancement of local resources to positively impact the quantity and quality of care available to all children.

The project will also increase retention of childcare providers and ensure consistency, thus increasing stability of care and continuity of services for children with developmental disabilities. Over a three-year period, across all ninety-two Indiana counties children with developmental disabilities and special needs and their families will benefit from improved childcare supports and services. The project will utilize a variety of techniques and strategies to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of Indiana’s child care system. The project will include resource and referral services to families, training and technical assistance to providers, families, and the community at large, as well as innovative distance learning technologies for outreach to underserved areas.

Materials and procedures developed by the project will be incorporated into manuals and CD-ROM’s and made available on the web. Dissemination will be accomplished through publications, state and national conference presentations, videoconference presentations and a dedicated Internet website. The project will be constructed to allow replication by other states, thus enhancing and increasing inclusive childcare in communities across the nation. The project will draw upon the strengths and systems in place at the local/community level, and create a solid infrastructure for families and providers, to ensure quality of care for all children. The specific Project of National Significance (PNS) priority addressed by IPCC is child care related activities, and which will have complementary effects on other PNS priorities as follows: improving quality, assisting in early identification of children with disabilities and delivery of early intervention services, as well as improving the health and safety of all child care facilities.