OMAHA, NEB. – The Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska announced that Nebraska will join the third cohort of states to participate in the national Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council (ECBAC).
The Council is a joint initiative of the Buffett Institute, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Bipartisan Policy Center to support the expansion of high-quality, affordable child care in communities across the nation. The initiative aims to strengthen connections between the business and early childhood fields in locations where child care has been identified as a priority.
In a policy brief released last month, the Institute identified a gap of nearly 18,000 child care spaces for children under the age of five living in Nebraska, and 10 counties with no child care options at all. Child care is among the few issues that has bipartisan support both in Washington, D.C. and in state legislatures throughout the country.
"Child care is a family issue, a workforce issue, and an economic issue,” said Linda Smith, director of policy at the Institute. “Addressing the child care crisis requires an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach.”
Child care is a broken business model that contributes to a significant lack of access for many families.
“The business community suffers when parents can’t find child care,” said Aaron Merchen, executive director of policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “The business community brings a vital perspective to the table, and we look forward to Nebraska joining the Council.”
Four new states are being added to the Council this year, including South Carolina, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Nebraska. Other states in the Council include Alaska, Montana, Arizona, Alabama, Ohio, South Dakota, North Carolina, Indiana, and Louisiana.
Each state team is made up of key early childhood and business partners. Nebraska’s team is led by:
- Elizabeth Everett, deputy director and public policy manager, First Five Nebraska
- Mike Feeken, strategic partnerships advisor, First Five Nebraska
- Mike Johnson, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- Bryan Slone, president and chief executive officer, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- Linda Smith, director of policy, Buffett Early Childhood Institute
“Our state has long understood that addressing the deepening child care crisis is a task that requires leadership from both our public and private sectors. We're proud to see Nebraska join the national ECBAC and commend the participants in this initiative for recognizing that a strong early childhood system is essential to a strong economy,” said Jason Prokop, director of First Five Nebraska. “We're looking forward to working together on truly sustainable, collaborative child care solutions that support the needs of working families while creating economic opportunity for all Nebraskans.”
In Nebraska, more than 74.6% of children under age 6 live in homes where all adults work, which is higher than the national average of 69%.
“The Chamber strongly believes that making child care more accessible and affordable is key to attracting and retaining a robust workforce in Nebraska, supporting our business community, and building a strong economy,” said Mike Johnson, COO and executive vice president of manufacturing at the Nebraska Chamber. “We’re excited to join this new statewide initiative to make progress on this issue locally and learn from peers around the country.”