Many Missouri employers are struggling with the same workforce challenges—employee absenteeism, turnover, recruitment difficulties, and productivity loss—often tied directly to child care breakdowns. What many employers may not realize is that free support already exists to help address these issues. Through Missouri Childhood Resource and Referral (MCRR), Child Care Aware® of Missouri offers a free concierge child care referral service designed to help working families connect with child care programs that fit their specific needs.
This service is available statewide and supports families with:
• Personalized child care referrals
• Guidance on understanding child care options
• Assistance navigating child care subsidy programs
• Connections to community resources
• Support through challenging child care situations
For employers, this means fewer workplace disruptions caused by child care breakdowns and more time focused on operations and productivity. More than 60% of parents with children under age five report missing work, arriving late, or leaving early because child care arrangements fell through. Nationally, businesses lose billions each year because of these disruptions.
Rather than navigating the search for care alone, families can connect directly with trained specialists who provide personalized support. Families speak with a real person and receive guidance based on location, schedule, child age, transportation needs, subsidy eligibility, and more. The service is completely free for families and employers.
As workforce shortages continue across Missouri, more employers are increasingly recognizing that child care is not just a family issue, it is a workforce and economic issue. Access to reliable child care helps employees remain stable, productive, and engaged at work.
Businesses interested in learning more about Missouri’s free concierge child care referral services can contact Child Care Aware® of Missouri at ccw@mochildcareaware.org for assistance.
To learn more about Missouri Childhood Resource and Referral services, visit: https://mochildcareaware.org/families/missouri-childhood-resource-and-referral/
Explore our other Child Care Aware® of Missouri resources:
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Child Care Health and Wellness
Family Child Care Network
Leadership Development Opportunities
Missouri Office of Childhood Updates
Show Me Child Care Resources
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