KEARNEY, Neb. – Child care access continues to be a pressing issue both nationally and across Nebraska. On Thursday, more than 450 early childhood advocates, providers and policymakers gathered in Central Nebraska to take it on directly.

The 8th annual Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference, hosted in Kearney, brought together stakeholders from across the state who are focused on the future of early childhood education and care.

"The cool thing about this conference is that there are so many different sectors that are having conversations,” said Rachel Sissel, Associate Vice President with Communities for Kids. “There are topics like how do we grow our own in the state and help young professionals recognize how important the issue is, as well as support the people who have been doing this for a really long time. If we want communities to grow and expand and have thriving businesses and thriving economies, they need to be able to have a place to take their children,” said Sissel.

Attendees represent 70 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, and many shared ideas and challenges specific to both rural communities and larger cities.

Policy leaders say the conference is designed to build connections and spark action.

"It’s great because we get to learn from national and state experts on funding, messaging, data, and communicating with stakeholders and senators,” said Elizabeth Everett, The Deputy Director of First Five Nebraska. “It’s really an opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate,” she added.

Organizers say meaningful progress will require a unified and statewide approach, since no single solution will fix the child care shortage.

The conference continues throughout Tuesday, with sessions ranging from legislative updates to community-led storytelling, and all have the goal of expanding access to early childhood care and education across Nebraska.