Trusted Childcare Services Across Nebraska

Nebraska’s childcare landscape reflects the Cornhusker State’s strong family values and commitment to preparing young children for success through quality early education programs serving families from metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln to rural agricultural communities across the Great Plains. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) licenses and regulates childcare facilities throughout the state, ensuring providers meet comprehensive health, safety, and program quality standards that protect children while supporting their developmental needs in appropriate care environments. Step Up to Quality serves as Nebraska’s quality rating and improvement system, rating participating programs on a scale of one to five steps based on staff qualifications, learning environment, curriculum implementation, and family engagement practices, providing families with objective information about program quality. The Child Care Subsidy Program provides financial assistance to eligible Nebraska families, helping low-income working parents and those in approved education or training programs access quality childcare that enables workforce participation and supports family self-sufficiency goals. Nebraska’s childcare costs remain relatively moderate compared to coastal states, though quality care still represents a significant expense for working families, particularly those in rural areas where limited supply affects affordability and access. Licensed providers must maintain specific staff-to-child ratios that vary by age group, with Nebraska’s requirements designed to ensure adequate supervision, individualized attention, and developmentally appropriate group sizes for children at each stage. Nebraska’s early childhood infrastructure includes strong Head Start presence, state-funded pre-K programs, and Early Development Network providing early intervention services for children with developmental concerns. Parents seeking Nebraska childcare should verify DHHS licensing status, check Step Up to Quality ratings, observe daily programming during visits, ask about curriculum approaches aligned with Nebraska’s Early Learning Guidelines, and understand the childcare landscape in their community. The state’s commitment to early childhood is evident in continued investment in quality improvement initiatives, workforce development, and expanding access across diverse Nebraska communities.