Lincoln Littles will host a free public Early Childhood Summit Thursday to explore ways to strengthen local child care and early education. Everyone is welcome at the event, which runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Country Club of Lincoln, 3200 S. 24th St., with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.
Anne Brandt, executive director of Lincoln Littles, told KLIN News that affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing families. She estimated child care costs in Lincoln at $10,000 to $15,000 annually per child, putting care for two children at $20,000 to $30,000 a year. “The two largest bills are housing and childcare,” Brandt said.
The summit will feature Elliot Regenstein, author of “Readiness: Preparing State Early Childhood Systems for a Brighter Future,” and a preview of a new report examining the economic impact of insufficient child care in Lancaster County. Katie Bass, director of policy research at Early Futures Partnership, will present the preview. Brandt said the report’s full launch is scheduled for Oct. 21 at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
Brandt said she hopes the summit encourages participants to consider how they can improve conditions for children and families. She believes sustained public funding at the local, state and federal levels is needed to strengthen early childhood care, including access for families and wages for providers. “It’s going to take everybody. It can’t just be one organization that’s going to change this for the future,” Brandt said.
Lincoln Littles also offers tuition assistance for qualifying families who earn too much to receive child care subsidies but cannot afford the full cost of care. Brandt encouraged parents struggling with child care bills to contact the organization, which also supports provider quality improvements and helps people interested in starting child care businesses.
The organization works with employers through its Family Friendly Workplace Program, developed with the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. Brandt said 60 businesses have been certified through the program, which helps employers support working parents and improve recruitment and retention.
More information about the organization and its family resources is available on the Lincoln Littles website. Summit organizers expect hundreds of attendees from across the community.