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On May 8, Nebraskans celebrate Provider Appreciation Day, a moment to say thank you to the childcare professionals who make many of our daily lives possible. But gratitude alone is not enough. If we are serious about Nebraska’s economic future, we need to recognize childcare providers for who they truly are: critical economic infrastructure.
Because childcare is everyone’s business.
Across Nebraska, parents wake up each day ready to work, contribute, and provide for their families. But none of that happens without someone caring for their children. Childcare providers are the workforce behind the workforce, quietly powering our economy from classrooms, homes and centers in every corner of the state.
And right now, that system is under strain.
According to Unlocking Nebraska’s Potential, a report from First Five Nebraska and the Nebraska Chamber, inadequate access to childcare is costing our state dearly: $1.74 billion in lost business output, $1.61 billion in lost labor income and nearly 7,000 jobs. Those losses have roughly doubled since 2020, driven in part by parents forced to reduce hours, turn down promotions or leave the workforce entirely due to childcare challenges like access to quality options and affordability.
This is a direct threat to Nebraska’s economy.
When childcare breaks down, businesses feel it immediately. Employers report disruptions in productivity, hiring and retention when workers can’t find reliable care. And families are left making impossible choices. In Nebraska, 31% of parents with young children have left the workforce because they couldn’t find or afford childcare.
At the same time, the supply of childcare is shrinking. Nebraska has lost a significant share of its childcare workforce in recent years, worsening an already critical shortage. Many communities, especially in rural areas, simply do not have enough providers to meet demand, leaving families on waitlists or without options at all.
Providers are doing their part. Strengthening the system around them is where the opportunity lies. Childcare providers do essential, skilled work supporting early learning, emotional development and school readiness, yet many are underpaid and overextended. They are expected to deliver high-quality care while operating within tight financial margins that make sustainability difficult. The result is burnout, closures and fewer options for families.
And when providers leave, the ripple effects hit everyone.
Fewer providers mean fewer working parents. Fewer working parents mean fewer employees for Nebraska businesses. And fewer employees mean slower growth for our communities and our state.
But there is another side to this story, one grounded in opportunity. Research consistently shows that investing in early childhood yields strong returns for children, families and the broader economy. When we support childcare, we strengthen workforce participation, business growth and long-term economic stability. That’s why policy decisions like Legislative Bill 304 matter. Nebraska lawmakers acted to maintain childcare assistance levels, an important step to prevent further loss of access for working families and providers. But maintaining the status quo is not the same as solving the problem. If we want a childcare system that truly supports our workforce and economy, we must go further.
If childcare is infrastructure, and it is, then we must treat it that way. That means sustained investment, smart policy and a shared commitment from business leaders, policymakers and communities alike.
Provider Appreciation Day is a chance to pause and say thank you. But it should also be about action. Because when we support childcare providers, we’re strengthening Nebraska.
