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West Central Region

Early Childhood Education

Community Planning

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Action Planning Overview – Nov. 2025

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County Stakeholders Meetings

Agenda

Welcome and Overview

Input on Strategy Development

    • Funding
    • Supply building
    • Resource navigation
    • Supportive policies

Next Steps

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WELCOME

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Community Development Corporation

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Kids Win Missouri - Community Planning

engaging over 350 community partners

Cohort 1

St. Joseph, Howell County, Springfield, Jefferson City, Jasper & Newton Counties, and Kirksville

Cohort 2

Marion and Ralls Counties, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi County, Kansas City region, Phelps County, and St. Louis

Cohort 3

St. Francois County, Perry County, Mexico, Stone & Taney Counties, and West Central Counties (Henry, Polk, St. Clair, and Cedar)

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PLANNING OVERVIEW

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Child Care Desert = more than 3 children for every licensed child care slot.

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Local research: Infant-Toddler Shortage

Only enough slots for 28% of infants and toddlers (0-2) across our four counties.

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Child Care – Out of Reach for West Central Families

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Child Care Providers, Employers Caught in Bind

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Next Step: Solution Building

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INPUT ON STRATEGIES

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1. Funding

Action Priority: Increase public-private partnerships to support the child care system

  • "Develop agreement with incoming industries to set aside funds for child care“ (idea: set aside of Chapter 100 development bonds to create a child care fund)
  • "Engage employers w/ providers that serve employees"
  • "Pay part/all of slot + payroll deduct + FSA etc" … Create some type of employee benefit related to child care

Top Strategies: Sept 24 Strategy Session

Draft Action Steps:

  • Research public revenue avenues, such as economic development bonds
  • Participate in the Missouri Child Care Works cost-sharing program

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How it Works

  • Employers contribute ~ 1/3 of employees’ child care costs with state and other matching funds further reducing employee’s total out-of-pocket.
  • For families who are not eligible for state subsidy with incomes less than 555% of federal poverty level.

Next Steps

  • Participate in CCW community of practice (Kids Win sponsored).
  • Prepare application for 2026 round of funding to start fall 2026.

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2. Supply Building

Action Priority: Support existing child care providers and increase both the supply and quality of infant-toddler care.

  • Increase and simplify subsidies
  • Shared services to support providers
  • Business support for providers

Top Strategies: Sept 24 Strategy Session

Draft Action Steps:

  • Family Child Care Champions strategy – Support new family child care homes w/ infant-toddler
  • Family Child Care Network and/or other Shared Services (e.g. Child Care Business Center)
  • Develop and employ childcare workforce (e.g. youth apprenticeships)
  • Collaborative Service Models -- Support partnerships between providers and entities w/ space

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How it Works

A shared services alliance is a cooperative management structure designed to support independent child care providers by pooling resources and sharing services to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability.

Tier 1: Access to cost saving and capacity building resources.

Tier 2: Use of business automation systems combined with individualized business coaching.

Tier 3: Shared back office and staff functions, such as organizing and submitting regulatory paperwork on behalf of members that choose this level of service and information sharing.

Shared Services

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3. Resource Navigation

Action Priority: Ensure families and child care providers access, use available supports, resources.

  • Tap into Missouri Family Resource Program <familyresources.mo.gov>
  • "Liaison to visit centers and check in, how can they help / Childcare provider advocate"
  • Create navigator program

Top Strategies: Sept 24 Strategy Session

Possible Action Steps:

  • Community partners collaborate to develop and offer resource navigation including:
    • Support completing, submitting applications (e.g. county-based associates with Child Care Business Center)
    • Local up-to-date lists of available child care with key info (openings, wait lists, prices …)

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4. Supportive Policies

Action Priority: Increase supportive policies and public investment in child care at all levels (local, state, federal).

  • "Licensing policies and less red tape in establishing daycare centers and in-home centers"
  • "Implementation plan at admin level" section – ensure providers and other stakeholders involved in policy making
  • "Municipal Support for Childcare Spaces" (relates to set aside strategy mentioned in public-private partnership section as well as idea of supportive zoning and exploring utilization of vacant buildings to create care spaces)

Top Strategies: Sept 24 Strategy Session

Draft Action Steps:

  • Engage in state policymaking (Kids Win committees, ECE fellows, local Child Advocacy Day Rally – March 2026)
  • Assess and address local rules, regulations, and resources, such as available space.

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Contact

Patty Cantrell, New Growth

pcantrell@newgrowthmo.org

660-476-2185 ext. 6500

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Action Planning Overview – Nov. 2025