43-2502.03. Legislative declarations.

The Legislature declares that it shall be the policy of the State of Nebraska to promote the development of a statewide system of comprehensive, coordinated, family-centered, community-based, and culturally competent services for children and their families to assure that services help build strong families and provide appropriate environments prenatally and for children from birth through their early years in programs and services which are:

(1) Family-centered, recognizing that parents have the primary responsibility for their children's development and learning and that programs must recognize and support the role of parents through family-friendly criteria in planning their structure, services, staffing, and delivery;

(2) Comprehensive, recognizing that services must include attention to all aspects of the child and family and address needed health and nutrition, education, family support, and social services. Such a service system should allow families to choose the services they need with minimal costs and requirements;

(3) Coordinated, recognizing that collaboration among the state agencies and variety of private and community programs and services is required to assure that comprehensive child and family needs are met and that the most efficient use is made of public resources, community services, and informal support systems of families;

(4) Quality, recognizing that outcomes for children in the early years are strengthened when programs and services display indicators of quality, including developmentally appropriate practices, extensive family involvement, trained staff, and culturally responsive approaches;

(5) Inclusive, recognizing that all children benefit when they have optimum opportunities to interact with peer groups of children with diverse backgrounds and characteristics; and

(6) Equitable, recognizing that program practices strive for potential achievement of all children including children from minority groups, with disabilities, from less advantaged backgrounds, and from less populated geographic areas.

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