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Access to affordable, high-quality child care is not just a family issue — it’s an economic imperative.
In Missouri, parents, especially women, are forced to make difficult choices between going to work and ensuring their children are safe and taken care of. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s recent commitment to addressing this crisis in his 2025 State of the State address is a commendable step toward much-needed reform.
For too long, Missouri families and businesses have struggled under the weight of a flawed childcare system. Licensing barriers and regulatory roadblocks have discouraged providers from starting or sustaining their services, creating severe shortages throughout the state.
This shortage forces parents out of the workforce, increasing labor shortages across numerous sectors and hindering economic growth.
According to United WE’s 2024 Missouri Childcare Licensing Research, despite the number of working families in the state that need child care, 85% of Missouri counties are in a childcare desert, defined as having more than three children under the age of six per licensed child care slot; this measure of children per child care slot closely follows the Center for American Progress’s definition of a child care desert as well as Child Care Aware of Missouri’s definition, which is also based on the CAP.
The governor’s commitment to addressing the child care crisis signals a recognition of what United WE’s research has shown: child care is essential infrastructure for a thriving economy. Addressing these business barriers not only supports working families but also strengthens workforce participation, particularly for women who disproportionately bear caregiving responsibilities.
Providers experience six major barriers during the initial child care licensing process:
- Potentially prohibitive start-up costs to ensure the facility meets licensing requirements
- Challenges due to location (rural vs. urban)
- Confusing verbiage and complexity of licensing rules and regulations
- Lack of business acumen for many first-time business owners
- Provider preparation prior to beginning and during the initial licensing process
- Communication and coordination with licensing officials and turnover among licensing officials
By prioritizing practical, research-driven policies, Missouri can create solutions that work for families and businesses alike. Streamlining the licensing process and investing in greater childcare accessibility will help businesses attract and retain talent while enabling parents — especially mothers — to remain in the workforce without unnecessary financial or logistical burdens.
Policymakers, business leaders, and community advocates must work together to ensure real, lasting change. Missouri has an opportunity to take leadership in forward-thinking childcare policies that recognize the economic reality of modern families. We must seize this moment to build a system that benefits all Missourians.
Identified themes to improve the childcare licensing process:
- Create an initial licensing team
- Improve communication and coordination
- Training requirements and opportunities for staff and providers
United WE remains committed to advancing change that unites policymakers across party lines and drives meaningful economic impact. Children’s health and safety depend on these solutions. We look forward to working alongside the governor and other stakeholders to turn this commitment into action.
The future of Missouri’s workforce, and its families, depends on it.