The Lab Report – October 2026

NECC Chief Program Officer Jennifer Adhima recently appeared on KETV to discuss proposed changes to Head Start. Watch the KETV story to learn more about the proposed changes and what they could mean for Head Start programs across Nebraska.

NECC is proud to welcome its sixth Parent Ambassador cohort, which includes 20 parents and caregivers from communities across Nebraska. Throughout the program, Ambassadors build advocacy skills, connect with policymakers, and help bring parent and provider voices to the decision-making table. Meet the sixth cohort in our latest blog!

October is Head Start Awareness Month, a time to recognize the difference Head Start makes for children and families across Nebraska. Through NECC’s Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, 280 infants and toddlers and their families are served each year. Read the EHS-CCP Impact Report to learn more about the difference this partnership makes for children and families.

NECC joined 14 other Nebraska organizations in supporting a letter to the state’s federal delegates that shared concerns about proposed changes to Head Start. The letter highlighted the potential impact of the proposed changes on Head Start programs and the more than 5,000 children they serve in Nebraska. Read the letter and learn more about the proposed changes to Head Start.

NECC is heading west! Tierra Harper and Kim Grubb are traveling to Scottsbluff and Chadron to connect with child care providers and strengthen relationships with early childhood professionals across the Panhandle. In Chadron, NECC will offer one hour of in-service credit and dinner in partnership with Panhandle Area Child Care Services.

NECC recently joined early childhood professionals and community leaders in Kearney for the 9th annual Thriving Children, Families, and Communities Conference. As a proud sponsor, NECC team members led breakout sessions and shared how we’re supporting Nebraska’s diverse child care workforce.

NECC is partnering with Wisconsin Early Childhood Association and Civitas Strategies to provide independent in-home child care providers with confidential tax education and support. Through the project, providers can have their child care tax documents reviewed, discuss potential areas for consideration, and receive guidance on self-filing their 2026 child care tax forms. 

NECC is supporting efforts to expand child care access in Western Nebraska through the Panhandle Childcare Expansion Program. The initiative provides eligible participants with up to $3,500 to start or grow an in-home child care business.

Participants also receive support with licensing, mentorship, training, and ongoing resources as they build sustainable child care businesses and strengthen access for families across the region.

Through a partnership with Child Care Aware of America, NECC is expanding access to Disaster Preparedness for Child Care Programs training across Nebraska.

With support from local hosts and community partners, these hands-on trainings give child care providers tools to strengthen emergency plans and prepare for the unexpected. More trainings are planned across Nebraska this fall, with virtual options coming soon!