We’re working to close the gap in access to critical early childhood supports, including child care, early education, and home visiting services. The data indicate there is a gap of 70,000 children in Missouri who would benefit from early care and education and 31,000 who could potentially benefit from home visiting programs. To learn more, download our blueprint to close these gaps
Supporting Our Future: A Blueprint for Missouri’s Early Childhood System [Document Forthcoming]
Missouri families are struggling because of the lack of child care and early education services, which are also causing problems for businesses and the state’s economy. As the state increases investments in child care and early education, communities must find ways to address gaps, enhance strengths, and best utilize the state’s investments.
Kids Win Missouri has selected six partner communities to engage in its inaugural cohort to develop child care and early education community plans. Through the process, communities will understand their current child care and early education landscape, fiscal resources available, and the true cost of implementing a high-quality, child care and early education system that meets the community’s needs. A lead organization in each of the communities has assembled a Community Leadership Team which includes parents, providers, business and community leaders, Head Start organizations, school district representatives, economic development officials and other early childhood stakeholders.
A local organization leads a diverse team of area partners to coordinate community planning efforts
Quantitative and qualitative research on the local economic, family, and child care & early education characteristics of the community
Quantify the true cost of care associated with improving families’ access to high quality child care and education and identify funding gaps
Identify public and private resources that currently support or could support child care and early education in the community
Communities are supported with assistance as they develop a plan of action to address their childcare and early education gaps