Understanding Missouri's Child Care Supply

Article 2: Turning Data Into Solutions: Understanding Missouri's Child Care Supply 

Child Care Aware® of Missouri (CCAMO) plays a vital role in ensuring families have access to the care they need by collecting, analyzing, and sharing child care supply data. This work helps families, providers, and policymakers clearly see where care is available and where gaps remain.

• Tracking Current Supply to help identify the types and quantities of child care available in a specific area.
• Identifying Gaps in Supply by comparing the current supply to local demographics and identifying child care deserts.
• Using Mapping and Visualization to visually highlight the supply of child care programs so viewers can quickly grasp where needs are most urgent.
• Supporting Providers in expanding their businesses, opening new programs, and applying for grants.
• Influencing Policy by helping state and local leaders with reliable data to guide funding and prioritize underserved communities.

In short, CCAMO turns raw data into clear, actionable insights, helping families find care, empowering providers to grow, and enabling communities to plan with purpose.

A key example of our work is the Missouri County-Level Supply Reports, available on our website. Each county-specific report offers basic demographic information and details alongside the availability and licensed capacity of current child care programs.

The data you need when you need it. Contact CCAMO today.

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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