Blog
‘Quality’ child care is about developing healthy children—and healthy businesses
Nebraska urgently needs skilled, highly capable child care providers to thrive—not only as educators and caregivers for young children, but as business owners and entrepreneurs. This was the central theme at Elevate19, a recent conference for current and prospective child care providers from across the state.
Policy Associate Elizabeth Everett begins statewide tour to learn about child care infrastructure
Policy Associate Elizabeth Everett is embarking on a tour around Nebraska this summer to learn about early childhood infrastructure in communities and begin building relationships with community members to identify child care needs and strategies.
What we learned from the 2019 Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy
The inuagural class of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy was as valuable to those of us who helped design the program as it was to the citizen-leaders who participated in it.
Highlights of the 2019 Nebraska legislative session
Here's a look at this year's contentious legislative session and updates on bills affecting early childhood, including those that were passed into law and those that will be held over for the 2020 session.
New video breaks down serve-and-return into 5 simple steps
Responsive and attentive child-adult relationships with many back-and-forth interactions build a strong foundation in a child's brain. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child defines five easy steps to practice serve-and-return with babies.
Child care providers are a key component of community growth
Child care providers are often overlooked, but important, small businesses that are essential for our communities and state to thrive.
Report: Lack of high-quality care affects suitability for military service
Military officers representing Mission: Readness released a report April 30 on the shrinking recruitment pool for our nation's military. They said the experiences during children's early developmental years impact lifelong outcomes, including fitness for military service.
Governor signs proclamation focused on community economic growth
Governor Ricketts signed a proclamation declaring this Community Development Week to celebrate Nebraskans who are working every day to build their communities and the “partnerships and local support that make community and economic development achievements possible.”
Nebraska wins national grant to expand high-quality prenatal-to-age-3 services
Pritzker Children’s Initiative has awarded Nebraska a planning grant to establish an actionable prenatal-to-age-3 policy framework. First Five Nebraska will lead this cross-sector effort that will dovetail closely with work already underway on the federal Preschool Development Grant.
Lincoln steps up to provide a big boost for our little ones
A new early childhood initiative, the Lincoln Littles Early Learning Fund, is giving the capital city’s little ones a big boost. Led by Lincoln Community Foundation in partnership with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, Lincoln Littles is one example of a community stepping up to make high-quality child care more accessible to families.
Elizabeth Everett saw the beauty, challenges of her adopted state in Leadership Nebraska
Elizabeth Everett, new Nebraska resident and one of our Policy Associates, found the beauty of Nebraska and its challenges during her time in the State Chamber's Leadership Nebraska Class XI.
Update on early childhood bills moving through the Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature just passed the halfway point of this year’s 90-day session. Committee hearings have ended and full-day floor debate begins April 2. Here's an update of early childhood bills working their way through the legislative process.