2024 session ends with early childhood policy gains
State Legislature passes bills addressing child care subsidy access, prenatal care, home visiting and more
Early Childhood Policy
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Successful Children. Strong Families.
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We promote policies that support the early care, education and healthy development of our state’s youngest children—and create opportunity
for all Nebraskans.
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First Five Nebraska's next early childhood policy update meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media for information on how to register.
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Nebraska Legislature adjourns with significant gains for early childhood
The Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die Thursday, April 18, ending this year’s 60-day session. First Five Nebraska was fortunate to work with state senators and Governor Pillen to introduce and pass several pieces of early childhood legislation that will...
More Nebraska families will benefit from $2.5 million for home visiting programs
More Nebraska families with young children will gain access to home visiting services thanks to $2.5 million allocated in the state budget bill, LB1412, which Governor Pillen signed into law on April 2. The budget was amended to include additional funding for...
‘Micro-centers’ could build supply of child care in Nebraska
The shortage of child care, particularly in Nebraska’s rural areas and under-resourced communities, is well documented. But what is less well known is that the problem is exacerbated by scale. Child care settings that enroll 12 or fewer children, licensed as Family...
Congratulations to our 2023-24 PLA graduates
First Five Nebraska’s Jodi-Renee Girón reflects on the achievements of our 2023-24 PLA graduates and why milestones mean more than finish lines.
LB856 would increase child care worker recruitment and retention
State Senator John Fredrickson, representing District 20 in central west Omaha, introduced LB856, which excludes all earned and unearned income for child care subsidy applications if the applicant or household member is self-employed at a licensed child care program...
FFN 2024 priority legislation focuses on child care, maternal health, literacy, home visiting
The Second Session of the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened January 3 for a 60-day session. In his State of the State address to lawmakers, Governor Pillen prioritized property taxes, regulatory barriers and affordable housing, and also emphasized the importance of...
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Thank you for welcoming us as a new member! We're looking forward to connecting with folk#grandislandsland as we work to improve the lives of our youngest Nebrask#Nebraskar#economicdevelopmentp#childcaredcarePlease welcome our new partner First Five Nebraska!
First Five Nebraska is a champion of policies that support the early care, education, and healthy development of our state’s youngest children. Their work focuses on strengthening services for infants and toddlers, improving quality and accountability in childcare, and elevating early childhood in economic development. Through policy change, strategic partnerships, and public education, First Five Nebraska stands as an ally of our most vulnerable citizens.
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FFN is now accepting applications for our 2024-25 Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy class. The PLA is #Nebraska's premier, non-partisan leadership development program focused on creating momentum to influence policies that affect children's healthy care and development. PLA graduates become members of a dynamic, statewide network of advocates to their communities and the public officials who represent them. The deadline to apply is June 10.
Learn more: www.firstfivenebraska.org/what-we-do/policy-leadership-academy/
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Governor Jim Pillen today proclaimed May 10 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day in Nebraska. FFN's Jodi-Renee Giron was on hand as well as representatives fromNebraska Early Childhood Collaborativeat#childcaredcare providers and lots of cute kid#Nebraskaraska
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Thank you for joining us to recognize child care providers!
Appreciate you representing family Child Care!
Essential workers! Lift them up everyday.
Faith Noel Gabriel MedinaTara Kay Ladig
Woo hoo!
FFN's Strategic Partnerships Advisor Mike Feeken spoke with Hampton residents recently on what reli#childcaredcare means for working parents and a community's economic growth and development. A new childcare facility is on track to open in Hampton i#Nebraska #economicdevelopmentevelopment
Child care presented as economic development issue
www.auroranewsregister.com
The importance of available and affordable early child care was front and center last Wednesday at a pair of community meetings put on in Hampton by the organization First Five Nebraska.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thank you 10/11 News for this story on steps state senators took this year to improve #childcare in #Nebraska. “What we are trying to do in collaboration with policymakers and other partners is to improve the availability [of #childcare] by making it easier for programs to operate and have people choose childcare as a viable career option,” said FFN's Mike Medwick. And thank you for your insightful comments, Betsy Tonniges! #NEleg
Legislators pass new laws to improve early child care hurdles
www.1011now.com
First Five Nebraska, an organization dedicated to creating policies to fix those hurdles, worked alongside lawmakers to pass several bills this past session.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
We had a fantastic day at the CYFS Early Childhood Research Summit! It was great to catch up with early childhood colleagues, share our policy work in the Unicameral this year and discuss our policy-research partnership with the Nebraska Academy of Early Childhood Research. We're proud to co-sponsor this biennial evNebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schoolsh#Nebraskar#ECSummit24m#earlychildhoodd#NElegNEleg
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