43-2620. Collaboration of activities; duties.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department of Education shall collaborate in their activities and may:

(1) Encourage the development of comprehensive systems of child care programs and early childhood education programs which promote the wholesome growth and educational development of children, regardless of the child's level of ability;

(2) Encourage and promote the provision of parenting education, developmentally appropriate activities, and primary prevention services by program providers;

(3) Facilitate cooperation between the private and public sectors in order to promote the expansion of child care;

(4) Promote continuing study of the need for child care and early childhood education and the most effective methods by which these needs can be served through governmental and private programs;

(5) Coordinate activities with other state agencies serving children and families;

(6) Strive to make the state a model employer by encouraging the state to offer a variety of child care benefit options to its employees;

(7) Provide training for early childhood education providers as authorized in sections 79-1101 to 79-1103;

(8) Develop and support resource and referral services for parents and providers that will be in place statewide by January 1, 1994;

(9) Promote the involvement of businesses and communities in the development of child care throughout the state by providing technical assistance to providers and potential providers of child care;

(10) Establish a voluntary accreditation process for public and private child care and early childhood education providers, which process promotes program quality;

(11) At least biennially, develop an inventory of programs and early childhood education programs provided to children in Nebraska and identify the number of children receiving and not receiving such services, the types of programs under which the services are received, and the reasons children not receiving the services are not being served; and

(12) Support the identification and recruitment of persons to provide child care for children with special needs.

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