All Our Kin’s technical assistance (TA) team collaborates with organizations across the country engaged in innovative work to grow family child care (FCC) in their local communities. In this edition of All Our Partners, we speak with Brandee Lengel, Vice President of Quality Child Care Partnership at Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC). Formed in 2014, NECC is committed to forging strong relationships between parents and providers, ensuring consistent care and quality education for Nebraska’s children.
Back in 2019, NECC and AOK started working together on both Business Development and Licensing Supports TA to strengthen support for FCC programs in Nebraska. At the time, it was a very exciting step for AOK to branch out beyond our direct service programs in Connecticut and New York. We were ready to launch our TA work and start sharing elements of our staffed FCC network model. NECC was well positioned to be an early TA partner and were enthusiastic, values-aligned participants from the get-go. We are proud to be celebrating five years of partnership together!
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These videos above are testimonials from educators who took AOK's Business Series, facilitated by NECC, in 2019-20
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Graduates from NECC's first-ever Business Series graduates (held in Spanish) from Fall 2019
Growth of the Nebraska Family Child Care Network: A Conversation with Brandee Lengel
All Our Kin: How has partnering with AOK for the past five years continued to impact NECC’s work over time?
Brandee Lengel: Our partnership with AOK began as a pilot project to support FCC providers in Nebraska. The Business Series, a national model created by AOK, has been a cornerstone of our collaboration. This partnership has grown and evolved, significantly improving the quality and sustainability of FCC businesses across our state. Since we launched the pilot in late 2019, the Business Series has trained over 550 participants, equipping them with the skills and confidence to run successful child care businesses. The program's success is evident from the significant improvements in participants' business acumen and the positive feedback we've received from providers.
AOK: Can you talk about your collaboration with AOK’s Licensing Supports program?
BL: Our partnership with AOK also included technical assistance in creating our successful Licensing Toolkit program, which helps providers navigate the complex process of obtaining state licensure. This program has been crucial in increasing the number of licensed FCC providers in Nebraska. Since the inception of the Nebraska’s Licensing Toolkit project, 75 new family child care programs have become licensed, and an additional 45 are in process.
AOK: As we reflect on our partnership, what do you want to celebrate and lift up about your work?
BL: Our collaboration with AOK has not only benefited individual providers but has also fostered a culture of mutual learning and growth. By sharing best practices and innovative approaches, both organizations have enriched their programs and expanded their impact. Recently, we celebrated significant milestones for our two organizations. NECC celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year, and this year AOK is celebrating 25 years of empowering family child care educators. Together, we also celebrate the five-year anniversary of our partnership, empowering educators with essential skills and resources. Here's to many more years of collaboration and dedication.
Proven Impact: Child Trends Report
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Our impactful collaboration with NECC was recently highlighted in a report on AOK’s TA by Child Trends. In a case study specifically focusing on NECC and two other partners, NECC staff provided feedback on how working with AOK impacted their approach to supporting FCC educators:
“AOK has a deep culture, and they are driving real social change. We were new and AOK had a rich demonstration of impact surrounding social change. So, it was cool seeing real change happen in FCC.”
In many states, the Parent Ambassadors program is just parents, but in Nebraska we made the decision to have parents and child care [educators]. It is all focused on elevating their voices in early learning. That was the way that AOK rubbed off on us- by the importance of putting [educators] at the center of conversations surrounding things that are impacting them.”
We are grateful to NECC for our long-lasting and fruitful connection, impacting educators and families across the state of Nebraska. Learn more about how we can craft a tailored TA project to support your goals with FCC educators in your community.