The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) is seeking employers in the Kansas City region to participate in the new Missouri Child Care Works initiative.
The Child Care Works (CCW) program, which launched in September, helps ensure working families have access to affordable, high-quality child care across Missouri. Through CCW, an employee’s child care costs would be shared between the employee, the employer and the state of Missouri.
“Our research shows the Kansas City region needs nearly 32,000 more infant and toddler child care slots and 6,000 more pre-K slots than are currently available,” said Toni Sturdivant, Ph.D., director of MARC Early Learning and Head Start. “Missouri Child Care Works offers a practical path to reduce these costs by up to 75%, while building capacity for more care options.”
CCW was funded with a $2.5 million appropriation in the Missouri state budget. The goal is to reduce child care costs by investing in children’s development.
Standardized flat fees
Participating employers will pay a flat monthly amount for their participating employees. Those employees may also be eligible for state funding to further offset the cost of child care, pending eligibility and availability of funding. Employees are required to cover the remaining tuition balance.
- Infant/toddler: $435.50 per month/per child or $5,226 per year/per child
- Preschool: $325 per month/per child or $3,900 per year/per child
- School age: $234 per month/per child or $2,808 per year/per child
Even with a flat rate, Sturdivant said employers will retain the flexibility to decide how many employees to support. This allows employers to scale their participation in a way that provides meaningful support without overextending resources. The flexible design also ensures that businesses of all sizes can participate.
If businesses already provide child care benefits, CCW can work alongside existing offerings, ensuring support stretches further to reduce the financial burden for both the business and employees.
Flexible participation
Participating in CCW does not require businesses to offer benefits to all employees. Just as not every employee may use dental or health insurance options, Sturdivant said not every employee will need or qualify for child care support. CCW is designed to give employers options that align with their workforce needs and financial capacity.
Employers may also be eligible for federal tax incentives, such as the Employer-Provided Child Care Credit, which allows businesses to claim up to 40% of qualified child care expenses (50% for small companies), up to a maximum of $500,000 per year ($600,000 for small businesses).
Benefits for employers
Participation in the program can also help businesses:
- Improve employee retention and productivity.
- Attract top talent.
- Invest in the talent pipeline.
Learn more and sign up
Kansas City region employers can use the MARC online information request form to get more information and to sign up for CCW.
Employers who sign up by Sept. 29 will be considered for the first round of applications, which will be submitted to the state of Missouri on Oct. 1.
