This blog post is being updated as bills move through the legislative process. We are now more than halfway through the legislative session. Hearings have concluded, and full-day floor debate has begun. Speaker Arch, state senators and committees have identified their...
Category: Early Childhood Workforce
Every response matters: Child Care and School Readiness Tax Credit surveys
Nebraska’s Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax Credit provide vital support to families, early childhood professionals, child care programs and communities. But to ensure their long-term success, we need input from those who have applied. Since the launch...
Policy Leadership Academy Class 6 advocates for maternal health and child care at the Nebraska Capitol
Members of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA) Class 6 spent the day at the Nebraska Capitol February 5th engaging with their State Senators. Their focus? Advocating for key bills and policies that impact maternal health and child care—two...
State senators begin work on bills impacting children and families
The 109th legislative session is in full swing! State senators have introduced nearly 730 bills and constitutional amendments. Although the Governor has the authority to introduce legislation at any point during a session, with the hundreds of pieces of legislation...
Join us for a Tax Credit Campaign update on December 10
Campaign Update Tuesday, December 10 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. CST Traducción al español disponible debajo de la versión en inglés. Join us on for a special Zoom update on the public awareness campaigns to promote Nebraska's Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax...
Proveedores de Cuidado Infantil: Obtenga ayuda gratuita para encontrar la cobertura de salud que necesita
El sistema de cuidado infantil en Nebraska, aunque crucial, enfrenta desafíos significativos para atraer y retener una fuerza laboral calificada. Una de las principales barreras es la falta de una cobertura de salud adecuada. Esto no solo afecta a los profesionales...
Child care providers: Get free help in finding the health care coverage you need
Nebraska’s child care system, though crucial, faces significant challenges in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. One of the principal barriers is the lack of adequate health care coverage. This not only affects professionals in the field, but the families...
Spotlight on child care providers: Impact of Income Eligibility Expansion of the Child Care Subsidy Program in Nebraska
Research is a critical resource for policymakers to understand complex issues facing Nebraska children and families. For early childhood public policy, one such complex issue is the Child Care Subsidy program. At First Five Nebraska, we recently led a study on the...
Public awareness campaign launches to educate Nebraskans about new child care tax credits
First Five Nebraska (FFN) today kicked off a public education campaign promoting the Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax Credit. The refundable and nonrefundable child care tax credits are designed to help address key challenges facing child care providers...
Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit highlights child care crisis
Child care was featured alongside housing in a panel discussion and was the subject of one of four Action Hour conversations at the 2024 Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit in Kearney on August 8. The lack of available child care throughout Nebraska...
Fiscal analysis of Nebraska’s child care cost model is available in English, Spanish
New on First Five Nebraska's website are English and Spanish versions of the fiscal analysis for Nebraska’s Child Care Cost Model. The analysis outlines development of the cost model, which began in 2020 with an advisory workgroup comprised of child care providers and...
DOL final Overtime Rule could affect child care providers
Editor’s note: Several child care providers and programs have reached out to First Five Nebraska about the upcoming changes to the U.S. Department of Labor’s wage and hour regulations. Because many employees in the child care industry work long hours to meet the needs...