Covering child care costs for daycare workers could fix Nebraska’s provider shortage, senator says

By MARGERY A. BECK
Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is looking to follow in the footsteps of Kentucky in implementing a program that covers the costs of child care for child care workers. The benefit aims to draw more workers into the child care industry since it’s experiencing dire shortages across the county. Omaha Sen. John Fredrickson’s bill would make child care professionals eligible for an existing federal child care program. Fredrickson says the idea is working in Kentucky. Kentucky passed its subsidy program in 2022. Kentucky had seen an additional 3,200 child care providers join the state’s ranks providing care for 5,700 more children by November 2023.