Early Childhood Professionals
“The fact is, we’re essential—we’re linchpins in our communities and economy. The state needs professionals like us to be on the job, day in and day out, without fail—so the rest of Nebraska can get to their own jobs, build stronger families, raise successful children and keep moving forward.”
— Kim Chase | Owner/Operator, Chase’s Childcare Corner
You are essential
Early childhood professionals are the backbone of a broad network of programs and services that keeps Nebraska’s communities and state working. Child care operators and staff, family engagement specialists and others all represent a diverse, highly skilled and essential segment of our statewide workforce.
But Nebraska’s early childhood professionals face a growing array of challenges that make it increasingly difficult to enter, remain and thrive in this crucial field of work. This includes an array of regulatory obstacles and financial challenges that affect the ability of caregivers and educators to keep their doors open and meet the needs of the children, families and communities they serve.
Stand up for your profession
If you are an early childhood professional, your insight is needed to help us create policy solutions that will help develop a stronger and more rewarding early childhood system in Nebraska.
- Get connected to others working in your field through organizations like the Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children (NE AYEC), the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative or the Nebraska Family Child Care Association (NFCCA).
- Enroll in the Nebraska Early Childhood Professional Record System (NECPRS) and Step Up to Quality. These resources give you access to services and resources to advance your professional development, improve your child care program and enable advocates to better understand the needs of early childhood workers throughout the state.
- Create a profile on the Nebraska Child Care Referral Network, a robust website that can connect you more easily with parents seeking child care services, and keep you informed about news and developments affecting early childhood professionals.
Featured Publications
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...
Nebraska’s refundable child care tax credit reaches $15 million cap within seven weeks
The full $15 million reserved by the State of Nebraska for the refundable Child Care Tax Credit has been reserved within just seven weeks of the application period opening in January. Parents and legal guardians of young children have requested more than $19.3 million...
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...
Spotlight on national trends: Impact of Income Eligibility Expansion of the Child Care Subsidy Program in Nebraska
This is the third blogpost in our series highlighting key findings from the Child Care Subsidy Expansion Impact Study. First Five Nebraska led this study in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other researchers and child...
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...
Spotlight on program enrollment: Impact of Income Eligibility Expansion of the Child Care Subsidy Program in Nebraska
This is the second blogpost in our series highlighting key findings from the Child Care Subsidy Expansion Impact Study. First Five Nebraska led this study in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other researchers and...
The Latest on the Blog
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...
Home visiting can be a lifeline for families
Dez Brandt is program manager of Healthy Families America home visiting program in the Panhandle Public Health District. She testified before the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee in support of LB104, State Senator Jane Raybould's bill...