During the past legislative session, Chairman of the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee Senator John Stinner introduced LR390, an interim study to examine the fiscal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nebraska’s early childhood workforce and...
Category: Child Care
What is access to reliable, quality child care really worth to Nebraska?
The answer may be as much as a 13% annual return on every dollar we invest in high-quality programs for young children, especially those most at risk. On the other hand, Nebraska researchers say we may lose nearly $1.4 billion annually if we fail to strengthen the...
First Five Nebraska, DED highlight early childhood efforts to market Nebraska
We recently partnered with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development in reaching out to prospective Nebraska residents, business owners and working parents about how early childhood education contributes to 'the good life'.
A provider’s perspective on operating a child care business during the pandemic
Mariah Stowe, a Lincoln child care provider, testified on LR390 before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee on the tough decisions facing child care professionals during COVID-19.
We need Nebraska to be competitive, which means our workforce needs access to quality child care
At a recent Appropriations Committee hearing, TMCO CEO Diane Temme Stinton testified on LR390, an interim study assessing the fiscal impact of COVID-19 on Nebraska's early childhood workforce and early care and education system.
Senators learn of COVID-19 impacts on state’s early childhood workforce and education system
FFN's Elizabeth Everett tesified at a legislative hearing for LR390 this week, along with experts from the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission, the state’s early childhood system, business and child care.
NECC’s Toolkit program helps child care providers acquire state licensure
The Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative’s Licensing Toolkit program helps unlicensed and new child care providers on their journey to state licensure through hands-on support, resources and materials to meet licensing requirements and membership in a professional network for family child care business owners.
Early childhood programs’ success, community vitality focus of conference
Nearly 700 civic, business and education leaders, from 99 Nebraska communities, 20 states and Washington, D.C., came together for the third annual Thriving Children, Families, and Communities conference Monday to focus on quality early childhood programs, which became even more critical with the pandemic and their connection to community economic development and vitality.
FFN’s Policy Leadership Academy plans to recruit next class in spring 2021
First Five Nebraska, in partnership with Communities for Kids, launched the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy in 2019 to engage policymakers on early childhood policy at the state level and in their communities.
Elevate20: A virtual business Summit for child care providers is now live!
Elevate20 is a business conference designed specifically to meet the needs of Nebraska family child care homes and child care centers in the areas of technology, human resources, marketing, leadership and finances. The conference is online and on-demand this year and is live through September 12.
Lack of child care costs Nebraskans $745 million per year, report finds
A new study by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Bureau of Business Research for First Five Nebraska finds that gaps in child care availability negatively impact family income, employer profitability and state revenue.
Nebraska Legislature: 2020 Early Childhood Policy Highlights
The 106th Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die August 13. Here's an overview and summary of bills affecting early childhood policy from this year's session.