Between the pandemic and then monster inflation, every business has been hit hard over the last couple of years. In Nebraska, one of the hardest hit is child care. The state is doing something about it.
Here are Five Fast Facts on Nebraska’s new child care financial aid program:
- 😱 The Facts - A survey of 750+ NE childcare providers shows income reductions, high turnover, and difficulty in finding/hiring workers in 90% of them. 69% of childcare workers are leaving the field entirely. That’s not the good kind of exodus.
- 💲 The Pay - Follow the money! The average hourly rate for child care workers in the state is $12.31. Ouch.
- 🙏 The Rescue - Starting on December 5, child care workers and providers can apply for a piece of $66M in aid money from the state. The money comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds. Go get yours!
- ✔️ The Layout - The program seeks to benefit child care workers through stipends, repayment of student loans, and expansion of services. No word on if this includes stress relief tools or medication, but you can give it a shot!
- 💡 The Next Steps - Virtual information sessions will be held Monday through Thursday for folks interested in learning more. You can sign up for one of those sessions at dhhs.ne.gov/ccdf.
🔥Bottom line: This is obviously welcome news for child care workers and providers across the state! But this benefits lots of others, too, as many families have struggled to make ends meet with their kiddos at home. The ripple effects should be good for lots of people.
How will this affect you?
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