State's child care not up to national standards

According to a study released Tuesday by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at IU, children enrolled in regulated child care in Indiana may be at significant risk for injury and illness, a press release said.\nComparing national health and safety performance standards with Indiana's child care regulations, "approximately 40 percent of national health and safety standards were not addressed by Indiana regulations concerning child care centers," the release said.\nThe report also indicated that 70 to 80 percent of the standards were non-existent in licensed child care homes and registered child care ministries.\nThe study was funded by a federal grant from Healthy Child Care Indiana.\nPat Cole, a research associate in the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, said the study indicates Indiana children enrolled in regulated child care may be at risk for injury, the release said.\nThe study suggests Indiana's regulations for child care be brought to current national standards, increase its scope to all out-of-home child care settings and be effectively enforced so Indiana's children can participate in a safe and healthy out-of-home child care environment.