JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — There are nearly three times as many children as there are child care slots in Missouri, according to a report released Wednesday. 

As families struggle to find affordable child care, businesses wrestle with trying to find workers, and providers scramble to meet ever-changing regulations and requirements. What’s at stake is Missouri’s economy. Many hope that these new findings will help alleviate the cost and time child care facilities spend to run their businesses. 

“There is just a lot from efficiency and administrative work that I think we can do to streamline and make it easier to do business in Missouri as a child care provider,” United Women’s Empowerment President and CEO Wendy Doyle said. 

United Women’s Empowerment (United WE), a research evidence-based organization, in part with the University of Missouri, interviewed dozens of providers and state inspectors for The Child Care in Missouri report. 

The group released its new findings Wednesday about the barriers providers face at a time when there are three times as many children as there are available spots.

More than 75 percent of the state is in a child care desert, and according to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, it’s costing the state’s economy $1.3 billion. 

“If we can get women fully participating in the labor force, we can grow Missouri’s by as much as 10 to 15 percent,” Doyle said.

The report shows that in 2020, more than 2,000 child care programs closed. Though many reopened by 2022, there were still nearly 400 fewer licensed centers. 

Doyle said on average, state inspectors oversee about 77 programs each. 

“One example I’ll share is a provider had to devote six hours out of the day for an inspection,” Doyle said. “How can a provider do that when you have a workforce shortage and devote almost a full day of work to getting the inspector what they need to do their job?”

For the second year in a row, the General Assembly failed to pass tax credits to help businesses, families, and child care providers. Many blame it on the infighting in the Senate, but Governor-elect Mike Kehoe said it’s important to him to expand access to affordable child care. 

“I tell people it’s a personal issue to me,” Kehoe said earlier this month. “My mother is a single mother, and I can tell you firsthand what it means when a mom has to decide whether to stay home and not make enough money to buy groceries or go to the store and leave her child at home.”

Lawmakers said they want to see what his administration will propose in the coming session. 

“I would love to see us do something,” Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-Affton, said. “I’m not sure but I would love to see us do that to give our working families a break.”

“In addition to the child care tax credits, when we were working on that, we also came up with quite a list of things that are impediments for child care centers,” Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, said. “Basically overregulating them. I would be willing to help push the one thing through as long as we get the other.”

Doyle said United WE is not recommending that regulations and licensing go away; instead, it should be streamlined for providers. 

Another concern from United WE is the draining of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In 2023, Missouri distributed more than $39 million in federal funds to start 308 child care programs. 

“We’re coming to the very end of those federal investment funds in the state of Missouri and we’re holding our breath that child care providers can hang on,” Doyle said. “But, it’s also kind of a question mark and a worrisome point of will there be more closures as a result of federal funding drying up.”

I think a big concern for us is knowing that the American Rescue Plan Act funding is finally cycled through the system and we’re coming to the very end of those federal investment funds in the state of Missouri. We’re all holding our breath that child care providers can hand on, but it is also kind of a question mark and a worrisome point of will there be more closures as a result of federal funding fully drying up. 

Jamie Birch from Kehoe’s office was on the call when the report was released Wednesday and said streaming the process is achievable. Birch also said the incoming governor is considering proposing tax credits again. 

As for providers, within the budget this year, there is money to $54.8 million for child care subsidy rates and $26 million for private child care providers to offer prekindergarten programs to students qualifying for free and reduced lunch.