Updates on the COVID-19 pandemic involving Nebraska's state and national early childhood partners.
May 15, 2020
- Web-Panel Discussion: You can now access a recording of “Equity Begins With Early Childhood,” led by Lisa Roy, Director of Program Development at BECI.
- Mental Health Support: Nebraska DHHS has released “Tips For Raising Resilient, Mentally Healthy Children” to assist families during this time of increased stress.
- Provider Resources: Child Trends has created a handful of helpful resources for early child care providers during the challenging time of COVID-19.
- National Impact of COVID-19: The Child Care Relief campaign has created a resource that highlights the effects of COVID-19 on child care in each state.
- Provider PPP Survey: NAEYC released findings of their recent provider survey on the usefulness of the Paycheck Protection Program. Read the summary brief.
- Child Care Op-Ed: Real Clear Policy published “The Forgotten Essential Workers: Women of Color in Child Care” an op-ed written by CCAoA Executive Director Lynette Fraga and Board Member Renee Boynton-Jarrett. The piece explores the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on women of color, who comprise 40% of the child care workforce.
- One Provider's Experience: Nebraska Children and Families Foundation published a new blog, “Opening up During COVID-19: Carly Garner, A Childcare Provider, Shares Her Experience.”
- Child Care Advocacy Webinars: The Robins Foundation, Save The Children Action Network, and the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative are co-hosting three webinars in a new series, Child Care Advocacy in a Post-COVID World. The first session – “A Different Kind of Vision” – will be held on Monday, May 18th at 1:00 pm Central. Register here.
- Educare Video Series: The Educare Learning Network is introducing an 8-part video series highlighting the importance of Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships to improve our nation’s supply of quality child care today and in the future.
May 8, 2020
- Child Care Recommendations Post-COVID: NAEYC’s blog post, “There’s No Going Back: Child Care after COVID-19,” highlights six key recommendations to lead us to a healthier early childhood system of care.
- Relief Resources: Center for the Study of Child Care Employment has put out new nationwide guide to COVID-19 financial relief resources which includes eligibility information and application links for unemployment insurance, paid sick and family leave, student loan suspension, and more.
- Unemployment Compensation Brief: CLASP has published a new resource, “Unemployment Compensation: A Guide for Child Care Stakeholders During the Coronavirus Pandemic.” This brief provides an overview of the unemployment insurance system, the new federal benefits available through the CARES Act, and considerations for determining how unemployment compensation can support child care workers during the coronavirus crisis.
- Courageous Conversations: NEAEYC will be hosting another round of Courageous Conversations over the next week on May 13 and 15. These virtual conversations will be geared toward Center Directors and Family Child Care Providers. Details on the virtual gatherings are as follows:
- For Center Directors
- For Family Child Care Providers
- Have questions, or trouble accessing the links? Call Melanie at (403) 858-2965.
- Nationwide Survey Results: Child Care Aware of America shared a summary of results from a nationwide survey on voter opinions of the recent coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the child care industry.
- Advocacy Toolkit: Child Care Aware of America have put together Day on the Hill Advocacy Toolkit are helpful resources for any advocate speaking out about child care right now and wondering how to take action.
May 1, 2020
- Sidney Community Donor-Advised Fund awards $184 in grants to support local child care: The affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation has announced that five child care programs in Sidney and neigbhoring communities will receive the funds to help stabilize their businesses and benefit the working parents who depend upon them. Grant recipients include Here Wee Grow Child Development Center, Kid's Korner Early Child Development Center and three licensed home-based providers.
- “We Could Help with One Thing. So We Did.” Nebraskans Aid Child Care Providers in Crisis: The Buffett Early Childhood Institute published a feature article describing different ways Nebraskans are stepping up to help offset some of the pressures facing our state's child care professionals.
April 27, 2020
- Save the Children Action Network and Child Care Aware of America are hosting the webinar, “Child Care in the Age of Coronavirus | National Poll Results,” on Tuesday, April 28, 12:30 – 2:00 PM CDT. The webinar will walk through the results of a national survey to understand concerns voters have about the impact coronavirus has had on child care and their support for financial assistance for the industry.
- The Bipartisan Policy Center recently published, “Invest in Home-Based Child Care Networks Now for the Future of Child Care.” This article emphasizes he importance of home-based child care and the need to support them during this time to ensure a healthy future for the ECE system.
- On May 13, HighScope is hosting a livestream event, “Elevating Early Childhood Education: The Benefits of Quality Education and How to Make it Accessible to All Children.” The event will feature Chastity Pratt, a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University; Dr. Iheoma U. Iruka, Chief Research Innovation Officer at HighScope; and political leader Stacey Abrams. The conversation will focus on the importance of high-quality early childhood education to economic prosperity in the United States and what policymakers can do to create a cohesive education system for all young children.
- CLASP has published a new brief, “Child Care is Key to Our Economic Recovery.” This document provides new estimates of what it would cost to sustain the child care system during the coronavirus pandemic.
April 21, 2020
- Ounce of Prevention is hosting a free, live, virtual screening of their soon-to-be premiered documentary film, “Tomorrow's Hope.” You can register to join on Monday, April 27, at noon CDT for this screening and panel discussion: theounce.org/events/annual-luncheon.
- Child Care Aware of America is hosting its biennial symposium virtually. The one-day, online conference on May 4 will feature 12 sessions focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on the child care community. The event will include live sessions and peer networking opportunities. Get more information and register.
- Opportunities Exchange has published two new resources: Defining Staffed Family Child Care Networks, designed to deepen engagement in Staffed Family Child Care Networks as a recovery strategy; and Reinvent vs. Rebuild: Let’s Fix the Child Care System by Louise Stoney designed to strategically frame and position a Child Care Come-Back Plan.
- NAEYC has released From the Front Lines: The Ongoing Effect of the Pandemic on Child Care. The brief reviews data from a recent survey gathered from more than 5,000 providers responding from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
April 14, 2020
- A recording of the 4/10/20 video call, “The CARES Act & Small Business Aid; Tools for Federal Delegation Outreach,” hosted by the Alliance for Early Success is now available. They also created a summary of the responses to CARES Act questions asked during the event. Read additional information on the Alliance call series.
April 9, 2020
- 'Nebraska Child Care's Excruciating COVID-19 Decision': Award-winning journalist Matt Hansen, managing editor at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, takes a clear and poignant look at the human and financial dilemma faced by Nebraska's child care professionals as they try to navigate the public health crisis.
- 'Home Visiting: A lifeline during the pandemic': A new article from the Center for American Progress examines the benefits of enabling home visiting programs to pivot to “virtual visits” with families as a way of addressing mental health stressors during the COVID-19 emergency.
- 'Mindfulness Breaks | A weekly series for self-care': Internationally recognized mindfulness practitioner Maria Gehl will lead guided mindfulness sessions for early childhood professionals on Fridays at 11:00 a.m.CT beginning tomorrow, April 10. Register to attend on Zero to Three's website.
April 8, 2020
- Child care providers: $1,000 emergency relief awards are available for licensed family and center-based child care providers in Nebraska that are open and currently serving families in areas of the state that have partnering relationships with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation or Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative initiatives. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis starting TODAY at 7:30 CDT and 6:30 MDT. Learn more in our blog post: Nebraska Child Care Provider Relief Fund. Thank you to the Buffett Early Childhood Fund for the generous support.
- First Five Years Fund recently published “Child Care News Update: Mass Closures and Caring for First Responders’ Kids.” The article gives a brief summary of how states are responding to COVID-19 and its impact on early childhood care.
April 7, 2020
- The Buffett Early Childhood Institute (BECI) released findings from their March survey of 2,100+ Nebraska child care providers. Results show providers are facing incredible stress linked to economic insecurity, threat of health problems and a lack of reliable information.
- In case you missed it, the Alliance for Early Success has posted their April 3rd live discussion, “CARES Act COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits.” You can also visit their latest resources page for COVID-19 for other timely information.
- Home Grown has launched the Home-Based Child Care Emergency Fund, a relief program to address the needs of home-based child care impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Nebraska Children and Families Foundation continues to update their page on COVID-19 resources daily.
April 6, 2020
- Gothenburg Town Hall: The Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce will host a virtual town hall this coming Thursday afternoon, April 9 at 4:00 p.m. The Zoom meeting will cover updates from Gothenburg Health, reports from school and child care professionals, and guidance for business owners and employees. Participants can join the Zoom meeting using this link. A listen-only conference call option is available by calling (346) 24807799, meeting ID 461 160 572.
- Paying Yourself, Your Staff and Your Bills: Helping Child Care Programs Understand and Navigate SBA Loan Options: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) will host a special webinar that brings together expertise from banking, business and child care about navigating the Paycheck Protection Program. The webinar is designed to help providers learn more about their options for staying financially afloat during the public health crisis, identifying the right path for your program and how to apply for assistance. The webinar will be offered on separate days for English- and Spanish-speaking providers:
- English language webinar: Thursday, April 9 | 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CT
- Spanish language webinar: Friday, April 10 | 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CT
- Child Care Aware of America hosts two webinars this week:
- Emergency Child Care Systems: A Look from on the Ground | April 7, 2020 | 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.CT: How we approach emergency child care solutions is an issue fraught with serious implications for established early childhood professionals and policymakers alike. This webinar examines how different stakeholders are approaching this challenge. Register here.
- States' Response to COVID-19 and Child Care | April 9, 2020 | Noon to 1:00 p.m. CT: The second part in Child Care Aware's series of what decisions specific states are making about child care as they respond to the COVID-19 emergency. This week's installment focuses on measures taken in Colorado and Indiana. Register here.
April 3, 2020
The Hunt Institute has published two new briefs focused on child care policy issues:
- COVID-19 Policy Considerations: Supporting Child Care During the Crisis: Offers cautionary advice for policymakers on creating temporary child care sites, suspending selected regulatory standards and special compensation and health care access for providers delivering emergency child care services, among other measures.
- COVID-19 Policy Considerations: State COVID-19 Fiscal Supports for Child Care: Provides detailed case studies from a number of states on policy action to offset lost revenues, supplement funds for operating costs, bonus pay for providers offering child care services to essential personnel and other measures.
April 2, 2020
- COVID-19: Education, Child Care and Nutrition: The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) will host a webinar focused on public policies to address the growing uncertainty being faced by state officials, educators and families about keeping children safe, fed and learning. The webinar will be Friday, April 3, at 1:30 p.m. CDT.
- Latest COVID0-19 Actions by State: The Alliance for Early Success has compiled a comprehensive overview of policy actions taken by states in response to the ongoing public health emergency. This resource provides useful context and insight for Nebraska decision makers into how government entities in other states are addressing COVID-19.
April 1, 2020
- Home-Based Child Care Emergency Fund Toolkit: Home Grown has recently published a resource guide targeted at philanthropic funders and intermediary organizations outlining how to support and maintain the supply of home-based child care that so many communities depend upon. The toolkit covers settng up a home-based child care fund, tracking current, emerging and ongoing needs, funding application templates and more.
- Child Care Aware of America will offer two webinars this week for early childhood professionals and advocates:
- Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Updates and Business Resources for Early Childhood Programs [Thursday, April 2: Noon to 1:00 p.m. CDT] Registration required.
- States' Response to COVID-19 and Child Care [Friday, April 3: 1:15 to 2:15 CDT]. This is the first part of a webinar series focused on different approaches to the public health emergency throughout the nation. Friday's webinar centers on how Vermont and Minnesota are addressing the crisis. Registration required.
March 31, 2020
- The National Home Visiting Coalition is inviting interested stakeholders to sign a letter asking Congress to prioritize MIECHV funding and needed flexibilities for home visitors during the coronavirus crisis. The deadline to sign is Friday, April 3rd.
- Child Care Aware of America has published 'Emergency Funding Resources that Child Care Providers Can Use Now' on their website. The article provides a list of resources for child care businesses that may have closed or experienced a decrease in enrollment.
March 30, 2020
- The Committee for Economic Development has compiled a resource clearinghouse to help child care providers better understand and connect to federal resources. These include summaries of the recently passed CARES Act, how to access U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster recovery loans, child care and preschool guidance and nutrition resources and other information. This page will be kept updated as new information becomes available.
- The Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children (NEAYC) will host “Courageous Conversations” — virtual gatherings intended to give Nebraska's early childhood professionals the opportunity to visit and share information and support with one another. The video conference calls will be twice daily April 1-3 via Zoom at the following times and links: Noon to 1:00 p.m. | 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- The Bipartisan Policy Center published 'What the child care community needs to know about Unemployment Insurance in the CARES Act' on their website. The article provides a plain-English overview of the types of financial supports built into the recently enacted legislation.
- Child Care Aware of America has also published a new article outlining resources for child care providers to strengthen their operating policies during the public health emergency: 'Grab, Adapt and Go – COVID-19 Resources for Child Care Programs.'
March 27, 2020
- The Bipartisan Policy Center has a helpful blog post detailing how the CARES Act will provide relief and assistance for child care businesses, parents, and communities, to help manage the impacts of COVID-19 during the coming months.
- A summary of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) supports for child care providers embedded in the CARES Act, also provided by the Bipartisan Policy.
- The First Five Years Fund provides a review of what’s included for child care in the COVID-19 economic stimulus package.
- Colorado's pubilc-private approach to connecting essential personnel to available licensed care is attracting favorable attention among national partners in the Alliance for Early Success.
March 26, 2020
- Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA)’s website and newsletter covers a wide variety of information, including child care for essential workers during the coronavirus emergency, stories from communities affected by the outbreak and a variety of other practical resources for providers, parents and policymakers. View their library of coronavirus-related resources.
- ZERO TO THREE, Think Babies™ and partners will host a special web broadcast featuring U.S. Representative Rosa DeLaura (CT-03) about how Congress is responding to families’ needs during the COVID-19 emergency on Friday, March 27, at 11 a.m. Register for the web broadcast.
- ZERO TO THREE is also collecting stories about the impact of COVID-19 on families with infants and toddlers, and the providers who care for them. This is a valuable opportunity to keep policymakers informed about the emergency as it is experienced by those directly responsible for the well-being of young children. Submit your story.
March 25, 2020
- Nebraska Children and Families Foundation has produced a comprehensive list of resources for families, service providers and others on navigating the COVID-19 emergency.
- Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) is partnering with Yale University to promote and disseminate a new interactive map that estimates the child care needs of essential workers in the U.S.
- The opinion piece, 'The coronavirus puts child care sector in need of a bailout,' published in the Boston Globe discusses how the closure of child care centers due to COVID-19 has forced a profound reckoning about the state of the American child care system.
- Hunt Institute State Child Care Actions in Response to COVID-19. The Hunt Institute has launched a comprehensive, real-time scan of State Child Care Actions in Response to COVID-19. This page (best viewed on a desktop computer) includes closure status, links to provider guidance, Executive Orders and more.
