Local organization asking Cheyenne County residents to take child care survey

SIDNEY - A new organization posted a survey last month hoping to get the opinions of parents, child care providers, community organizations, employers and businesses about the early childhood system in Cheyenne County.

Communities for Kids, a planning initiative through Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, helps communities understand what child care services are available in the area, how many early childhood providers there are, and what those providers are connected to. C4K supports early childhood programs and providers to continue to grow them.

"Early Childhood is an economic issue," C4K Member Angie Borgmann said. "What we know is that parents need child care so they can go to work and maintain their income and spending abilities. Businesses need employees that can be at work and not be distracted or miss a day, because of a lack of child care."

The C4K survey, which takes approximately five minutes, is designed to learn how early childhood affects residents in Cheyenne County and what people need and/or want from services.

Borgmann says they hope to use the survey to engage in conversations about early childhood.

"We really want local buy-in about the vision for early childhood, because we know it affects our ability to attract young families and serve the families we currently have in our community," Borgmann said. "Strong early childhood programming means providing high-quality child care and early education, and having enough space to serve all families that need it."

Once the survey is complete, group members will create a step-by-step plan to connect with other communities tackling the same issues and learn about opportunities to help accomplish a local vision.

If you're interested in representing Cheyenne County as a local school district, current childhood provider, parent or a business with Communities for Children, you're asked to call Borgmann at (308) 250-0974.

TAKE SURVEY