Astonishing Numbers, Why We Need Before and After School Care

The need for quality before and after school care is more important today than it ever has been, for so many reasons.

BY THE NUMBERS

According to the Indiana Afterschool Network, 20 percent of children in Indiana, including kindergartners, are unsupervised in the afternoons. Also, the peak time for crime committed by youth is weekdays from 3 - 6 p.m. Finally, afterschool and summer programs can add 1,080 hours of learning time a year for students. That adds up to 144 additional school days! Studies prove that children in quality before and after school programs have better grades and social behaviors.

THE Y: WE’RE IN WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT

The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis hears those statistics loud and clear. As the largest provider of school aged programming in the State of Indiana, we offer over 100 Before & After School programs across the city, from Avon to Greenfield, and Fishers to Greenwood.

Chances are, we’re in your child’s school, and we want your family to have a safe and enriching place to send your child before and after the school day. At the Y, we are so much more than childcare. We provide fun, hands-on, educational experiences. We gear our curriculum around the interests of the children, and we encourage leadership skills through child-led activities and mentoring programs. We learn about character development and conflict resolution skills, and we do all of this without leaving the comfort and safety of your child’s school.

The YMCA Before & After School program is a place where everyone belongs, where friendships are created, and where new skills are learned every day. Find out more and enroll your child today!

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 Colleen Horan is the community vice president of Youth Development with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.