Businesses across Missouri are facing increasing workforce challenges, and one of the leading causes is lack of access to affordable child care. Employees are missing work, reducing hours, turning down promotions, or leaving the workforce entirely because they cannot find or afford reliable care for their children. In fact, an estimated 1.4 billion work hours are lost annually in the United States due to child care challenges and inadequate access to care.
For employers, the impact is clear: higher turnover, recruitment challenges, increased absenteeism, and reduced productivity. Nationally, businesses lose approximately $38 billion annually due to workforce disruptions tied to child care issues. As a result, more Missouri employers are turning to child care benefits as a strategic workforce solution.
Through Child Care Works (CCW), Missouri is implementing an innovative shared-cost child care model that helps employers support working families while maintaining manageable and predictable costs. This approach makes child care more affordable for employees through a partnership model that may include employer contributions, employee contributions, and additional funding support.
Participating employers benefit from:
• Improved employee recruitment and retention
• Reduced absenteeism and turnover
• Increased workforce stability
• A competitive hiring advantage
• A meaningful family-friendly workplace benefit
Research shows employers offering child care benefits report:
• 81% improvement in recruitment
• 80% improvement in retention
• 82% improvement in productivity
Unlike traditional benefits that may be underutilized, child care assistance directly impacts an employee’s ability to consistently show up and perform at work. Child Care Works is currently expanding across Missouri with support from community partners, employers, and Child Care Aware® of Missouri. The program is designed to be flexible and scalable for businesses of all sizes and industries.
In addition to supporting employees, participating businesses may also qualify for valuable tax incentives related to child care investments.
As Missouri employers continue to seek innovative workforce solutions, child care benefits are quickly moving from a “nice to have” to a business necessity.
Employers interested in learning more about Child Care Works or scheduling a conversation can contact ccw@mochildcareaware.org
Learn more about the Child Care Works initiative here: https://childcareworksmo.org/
Explore our other Child Care Aware® of Missouri resources:
Clock Hour Training
Scholarships for Educators
Child Care Health and Wellness
Family Child Care Network
Leadership Development Opportunities
Missouri Office of Childhood Updates
Show Me Child Care Resources
Support Child Care Aware® of Missouri
Community Data
Join Our Team
Resources to Build Your Business