Comprehensive data shows infants in need of childcare
Child Care aware of Missouri (CCAMO), an organization dedicated to evaluating childcare supply for nearly 25 years, shares the newest care report for Missouri and Buchanan County.
Based out of St. Louis, Missouri, the non-profit is focused on comprehensive data of early childhood educational systems. This specific data report was used for the coalition Kids Win Missouri and looks at community-based childcare, not public pre-k. This includes standalone childcare centers, licensed family childcare homes, group homes and faith-based programs and religious facilities.
Robin Phillips, chief executive officer of CCAMO said 71% of available childcare slots are designated for children under six, while 29% are reserved for school-age children.
“The data is only going to quantify looking at the number of licensed community-based childcare slots, either licensed or licensed exempt slots, and comparing that to the number of children who potentially need those slots,” Phillips said.
Phillips said this imbalance shows the childcare desert in Missouri. According to the CCAMO analysis, 112 out of the 115 counties in the state are in a childcare desert in the infant and toddler age group.
"We're using public sources for some of this data,” Phillips said. “So, when you look at Buchanan County there are approximately a little over 1500 slots available right now. When I say available, I want to make it clear that they may not all be open if those programs don't have enough staff, but let's assume they're all open and they're all available. The number of children 0 to 6 in Buchanan County with parents in the labor force is right at 5400."
Looking at ratio between 1500 slots compared to 5400 children needing childcare, Phillips said there is a huge gap and while it may not directly qualify as a childcare desert for 0 to 6 years of age, the demand still exceeds the supply. Phillips said it's a matter of superintendents and childcare businesses working together to address the childcare shortage.
“When folks tend to think public pre-k is the only answer, then all the three- and four-year-olds start going there and you will see childcare centers close in communities because they can't survive off providing just infant toddler care,” Phillips said. “Especially with the cost, ratios and the safety measures and things like that, so we all have to be working together to address this system and quit working in silos.”
