Using Child Care As An Economic Development Tool

"Quality child care is an important and often overlooked tool for spurring economic development," said Economist Morton Marcus during a recent speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The economist is touring the state of Indiana to get business people and economic development officials to understand the importance of child care. "The objective we have is to get child care on the radar of economic development," he said

To do this, Marcus is sharing the findings of his study, called "The Economic Dimensions of the Child Care Industry in Indiana."

"The report concludes that child care has benefits much further reaching than simply the parents of the child. Businesses benefit because parents are more productive when they know their children are cared for and safe. Child care could also be a selling point to attract young, skilled workers to the region. And children also benefit because research shows they perform better in school when they have received quality care during the first six years."