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Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln examined local, state and national databases and found that to ensure a “good life” for all Nebraskans, support for Nebraska families must be expanded and strengthened. concluded that it is essential to do so.
The researchers’ analysis found that families in Nebraska have become more diverse and complex, largely due to changes in the demographic makeup of the state’s population in recent decades.
With an aging population, increased immigration, and an exodus of workers seeking jobs elsewhere, meeting the changing needs of Nebraska families will promote the health and well-being of current and future generations. It has become critical to ensuring the state’s economic success.
Laurie Wheeler, director of the Nebraska Academy of Methodology, Analysis and Psychometrics and associate professor at the Nebraska Child, Youth, Family and School Research Center, surveyed Nebraska families based on the state’s priorities. is the lead author of the new manuscript.
These priorities identified by the Nebraska Extension Needs Assessment include developing a skilled workforce, creating economic vitality across the state, retaining and attracting young people, promoting health and well-being, and creating sustainable success. It includes leveraging Nebraska’s strengths.
The article, “Families in Nebraska 2023: Key Areas of State Priorities and Promises,” was recently published in Marriage & Family Review, a journal focused on research, practice, theory, and application related to marriage.
This manuscript describes Nebraska’s geography, demographics, and governmental context and how current state policies, programs, and resources are positioned to address the family-centered needs and challenges of the state’s working-age population. I am reviewing what is there.
The Husker team concluded that creating policies that support accessible, high-quality child care, caregiver support, and lifelong health and well-being will improve the well-being of workers and families across the state. It would also stem the flow of workers to other states, improve individual productivity and, in the process, boost Nebraska’s economic vitality.
“It’s critical that we invest resources in the most important people in workers’ lives: their children, their parents, their families,” Wheeler said. “Addressing geographic and racial disparities in health and ensuring access to health care are critical issues that must be addressed to ensure that everyone in Nebraska feels like the good life.”
Data shows that more than 70% of children in Nebraska live in households where all adults work, highlighting the need for widespread access to child care and paid medical leave.
“Infrastructural disparities between rural and urban communities make it difficult for people with families in the state to access the support they need,” said John, assistant professor of child, youth, and family studies, and author of this review. said co-author Patti Kuo. .
“The reality behind working families is policy. Most families in Nebraska are not single-income households, so they need paid medical leave and access to child care. We want people to work, and we want our people to work, and we want the country to support working people.”
Wheeler said preserving the state’s workforce is critical and meeting the needs of the diverse families of Nebraska’s working-age population will help address workers leaving the state for opportunities elsewhere. Emphasize that it is helpful.
“Many children attend college here at UNL and then move to other states in search of better opportunities for their families,” she says. “The goal is to maintain an educated workforce, so we need to ensure that current Nebraska workers receive adequate support across the board in their family responsibilities.”
Kuo said the data shows the need for policy and program innovation to create a healthy environment for families.
“You can’t just solve these problems on an individual level,” she says. “People are embedded in families, and the No. 1 reason they leave Nebraska is to find another job or for their families. We want people to understand the difference between the state’s economic priorities and supporting their families. I want them to understand that there is a direct connection between them.”
For more information: Lorey A. Wheeler et al., “Nebraska Families 2023: State Priorities and Commitments, Key Areas of Marriage, and Family Review” (2024). DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2024.2402486
Provided by University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Quote: Increased family support will boost Nebraska’s economy, from Review Show (September 30, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-09-family-boost-nebraska-economy.html Retrieved September 30, 2024
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