May 30, 2018
Building Brighter Futures — For Children, Families & Indiana
Brighter Futures Indiana is a resource to support families like you. It’s packed with useful information, ideas and resources. Our goal is simple: We support Indiana families as they nurture their children. And we support that process at home and while in care. Brighter Futures Indiana is brought to you through a partnership with the Indiana FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and Early Learning Indiana.
We are staffed by a team of mostly parents. But we’re also grandparents, aunties, uncles, early childhood experts, talented designers and caring writers. And every single one of us loves this work. We hope it’s as useful to you as it is delightful to us.
What You’ll Find on Brighter Futures Indiana
We designed this website to provide a lot of information. And we do it in plain language. What that means is that you won’t find a lot of jargon. But you will factual, research-based info and ideas including:
- Learning ideas for every age from zero to five years
- Info about your child’s development
- Details about Indiana’s Paths to QUALITY rating system
- A family-friendly version of the Indiana Early Learning Foundations for every age — babies, one-year-olds, two-year-olds, three-year-olds and pre-K learners
- Useful blog posts about mini milestones (like potty training and crawling), book ideas and building bonds with your child
How to Use Brighter Futures Indiana
There’s a ton of useful information on this site. To make sure it easy to find, we have search tools. Plus, we offer chat and email support too! To search for something, either click on the search button on the blue bar (on desktop) or start a new search here. Our friendly staff are also just a click away. Click on the “CAN WE HELP?” button below to start a conversation!
Special Supports for Your Child Care Search
If you’re curious about finding quality child care in Indiana, Brighter Futures Indiana has plenty of tools to help.
- Check out Indiana’s Paths to QUALITY system and find out what each level means for your child.
- Learn about health and safety requirements.
- Explore the different kinds of settings — in homes, centers, schools and faith-based early learning settings.
- Find out about financial help for paying for care.
- Connect with Indiana’s Child Care Finder online search tool or the Brighter Futures Indiana support staff at 1-800-299-1627!
Kirsten Eamon-Shine directs Early Learning Indiana’s communications efforts, including the Brighter Futures Indiana website. She loves telling stories that help adults nurture the curiosity and potential of children. She spent over a decade in the youth development field at IUPUI, the Marion County Commission on Youth and Peace Learning Center, and has diverse experience as a digital communications manager and strategist with community-focused organizations and businesses. Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Indiana University. She spends her free time reading children’s and grown-ups’ books, enjoying Indianapolis’ cultural and food scenes, and listening to music with her husband and son Emerson, who is somehow old enough to be in kindergarten.
