Building Stronger Communities Together

In today’s competitive landscape, Missouri communities face significant challenges in retaining and attracting talent, maintaining a stable workforce, and fostering economic growth. While housing and transportation are often cited as critical factors influencing where people choose to live and work, there’s another key piece of the puzzle that deserves attention: access to reliable, affordable child care.

The Workforce Connection

Child care might not immediately come to mind as a business issue, but its impact on workforce stability and community vitality is undeniable. Without accessible child care, working parents struggle to balance their professional and personal responsibilities. This often leads to reduced work hours, increased absenteeism, or even leaving the workforce altogether. For businesses, this translates into higher turnover, recruitment challenges, and lost productivity.

Communities that prioritize child care solutions are better positioned to attract and retain a diverse workforce. When families feel supported by local infrastructure—whether through employer initiatives or community-wide efforts—they are more likely to stay and invest in the area. This has a ripple effect on businesses, schools, property values, and overall economic health.

A Strategic Investment for Businesses

Supporting access to child care is not just a family issue; it’s an investment in the future of your business and community. Employers who take proactive steps—such as offering flexible work schedules, partnering with local child care providers, or participating in cost-sharing programs—see measurable benefits. These include:

• Reduced employee turnover
• Increased productivity and focus
• Higher employee satisfaction and loyalty
• A stronger ability to attract top talent

Even employees without children benefit from these efforts. Stable child care infrastructure ensures that colleagues can show up consistently, contributing to a more reliable and cohesive workplace environment. Besides, strong communities with vibrant schools, healthcare systems, and local services create an environment where all residents thrive.

Innovative Solutions for Missouri

Recognizing the importance of this issue, a new initiative is coming to multiple counties in Missouri. Spearheaded by Kids Win Missouri this effort will introduce an innovative cost-sharing model. Under this model, the cost of child care is divided among three parties: the employer, the employee, and a third-party fund (such as state or philanthropic resources).

This approach has already seen success in other states and is now being tailored to meet Missouri’s unique needs. By participating in programs like this, businesses can offer meaningful support to employees without shouldering the entire financial burden. The benefits extend beyond

individual companies—this model strengthens local child care providers while helping families access affordable care.

Building Stronger Communities Together

When families can’t find or afford child care, they often leave in search of better opportunities elsewhere. This migration impacts businesses directly by shrinking the labor pool and reducing customer bases. It also weakens community infrastructure over time.

Investing in child care solutions helps keep families rooted locally while fostering long-term economic stability. Accessible child care supports multigenerational investment in schools, housing markets, and local businesses—ensuring that communities remain vibrant places where people want to live and work.

Looking Ahead

Child care isn’t just a personal concern; it’s a community-wide priority with far-reaching implications for workforce development and economic growth. As local leaders roll out new initiatives like Tri-Share in our region, businesses have an opportunity to be part of the solution.

Sign up for updates from Kids Win Missouri and Child Care Aware® of Missouri, a proud partner in this initiative. Learn how you can support efforts to build a stronger, more vibrant community—where families and businesses thrive together.

Investing in solutions like these isn’t just good for working parents; it’s good for everyone. Let’s work together to build a stronger future for our workforce, our economy, and our community. Contact us cckmw@mochildcareawre.org to learn more.