Kearney has created more childcare openings, and now the community is making it easier for familie to find them.
In the past year, local initiatives helped launch at least eight new providers and 86 licensed openings. Many providers now report openings and shrinking waitlists, something that has not been seen in years. But rising costs, including minimum wage increases, mandatory sick leave, insurance and property taxes, are straining providers owners.
Parents, meanwhile, are still sent to outdated lists, Facebook posts, and uncertain waitlists. However, a new partnership with Upwards, a childcare and workforce support platform has a goal to help address that problem.
Upwards assigns each family a Care Navigator who researches options, contacts providers and guides parents through enrollment. Employers like the U.S. Army National Guard and Chobani use the platform.
Kearney Regional Medical Center will launch a one-year pilot for its employees this fall, with other employers invited to join later. Families will still choose and pay for their own care. Upwards says employees who opt in nationally are five times less likely to leave their employer.
Amanda Polacek, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Development Council for Buffalo County, said, “Until now employers had limited opportunities in helping their workforce secure reliable care.”
The platform will also track successful and unsuccessful matches, revealing barriers like cost and scheduling that could help guide future community investments.
Local supporters include Communities for Kids, the Kearney Area Community Foundation, the Development Council for Buffalo County and the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Ultimately we want to create a coordinated space that benefits families, childcare providers businesses and Kearney employers all at once,” Polacek said.
Kearney is a retail-served customer of Nebraska Public Power District.
Written by: Sara Groteluschen, NPPD Economic Development Specialist