Childcare Is Infrastructure: Why Early Education Matters Now

By Tiffany Lehman
Department Chair of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
Ivy Tech Hamilton County

As we recently experienced a major snowstorm and below-freezing temperatures that closed schools and childcare centers, I was reminded of one of the most important truths we learned during the COVID pandemic: our society relies on care and education for children in order to function.

When childcare and schools close, parents may be unable to go to work. Essential services struggle to operate. Businesses lose productivity. Families are forced into impossible choices. These moments make something very clear: childcare and education are not optional conveniences. They are foundational infrastructure.

My entire professional career has revolved around my greatest passion in life: children. I’ve often heard the phrase, “children are our future,” and while I agree with it, I’ve always found myself asking, What about now? Shouldn’t our children be our focus now?

Yes, children are our future. They will grow up to become leaders, decision-makers, and parents themselves. One day, they will care for those of us who are adults today. They will shape the policies, communities, and systems we rely on. That is an enormous amount of responsibility and trust to place on our youngest humans. With that in mind, shouldn’t our focus be on how children are being cared for and educated today?

The role that early education plays in a child’s life is paramount. Research shows that by the age of five, nearly 90% of brain growth has already occurred. Early childhood education builds the neural connections responsible for language, math, memory, and problem-solving. Just as importantly, it supports the development of social and emotional skills—skills that are critical for forming relationships and achieving long-term success in the workplace and in life.

The work early childhood educators do is foundational. They are building the framework for everything that comes next. The reality of our current childcare system is bleak and well known to many families. There aren’t enough seats in high-quality childcare programs. There aren’t enough early childhood educators. The cost of care is significant and often unsustainable for families. Meanwhile, policies and regulations, combined with a lack of adequate funding and support, place overwhelming pressure on childcare centers and the professionals who work in them.

When I look at these realities, I ask myself how I can help. I bring a unique perspective to this work, having served as an early childhood teacher, a center director, and now as a department chair and college instructor. Each role has deepened my understanding of the challenges facing the field—and the opportunities to make meaningful change.

In my current role, I am able to support early childhood education by providing high-quality education and training to individuals already working in the field, as well as those who aspire to join it. We know that when educators receive high-quality training, they are better equipped to care for and educate the children in their classrooms. They also experience greater job satisfaction, which increases retention and reduces turnover. This, in turn, helps address the critical shortage of available childcare seats.

As the Department Chair for Education on the Ivy Tech Hamilton County campus, we are actively reaching out to our community to make education more accessible for early childhood educators. We have designed programs that allow educators to earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential during their students’ nap times or in the evenings (just three hours a week). Educators can choose to continue their education after earning a CDA by pursuing an associate degree and beyond.

We also offer skills-based training and individual courses for those who are unable to commit to long-term programs. Many of these educational opportunities are eligible for funding support that covers nearly all associated costs.

While earning a CDA, an associate degree, or completing skills-based training will not solve every challenge facing early childhood education, it does address one critical issue: ensuring that the individuals performing one of the most important jobs in our society are highly trained, supported, and valued. Early childhood educators are shaping the future leaders, thinkers, and problem-solvers our world depends on. They deserve the highest respect for the work that they are committed to.

If you value the role of early childhood educators and understand the importance of early education for our children, I ask you this: What can you do to help? How can you show support for early education and for those who devote their time, energy, and passion to caring for our youngest learners? Because when we invest in children, and the people who teach them, we invest in the future we all share.