Missouri to Implement Waitlist for Child Care Assistance Amid Record Demand

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Office of Childhood (OOC) announces it will implement a waitlist for Missouri’s Child Care Subsidy Program beginning March 1, 2026, due to the increased growth of families who qualify.

The number of families receiving child care assistance has increased by 19% since January 2025, with more than 27,000 children currently served statewide. As participation continues to grow beyond available appropriations from the General Assembly, DESE-OOC must take action to ensure services remain available for families currently receiving support, and to prioritize those with the greatest need.

“This is not a decision we take lightly,” said Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger. “The Office of Childhood remains deeply committed to supporting Missouri families and child care providers. Implementing a waitlist allows us to responsibly manage available funding, protect services for children currently enrolled, and prioritize families facing the greatest challenges.”

What Families Need to Know

• Beginning March 1, 2026, newly applying families will be placed on a waitlist
• Families approved before March 1 will not be affected
• Families who complete renewals on time will continue receiving assistance without interruption
• The waitlist will be managed in order of application submission date, in accordance with priority rankings

Families will receive email notifications when:

• Their application is placed on the waitlist
• Their application moves forward for processing

While on the waitlist, families may update their application at any time through the Child Care Subsidy Parent Portal: https://childcare.mo.gov/s/parent-landing.

Additional details and resources, visit: https://dese.mo.gov/childhood/child-care-subsidy-waitlist or contact 573-415-8605 or ccfamilies@dese.mo.gov.

What Providers Need to Know

The waitlist does not affect:

• Families currently receiving assistance who renew on time
• Families reporting changes to active cases

Providers play a critical role in helping families avoid service disruptions. DESE-OOC encourages providers to remind families to submit renewal applications at least 60 days before their authorization expires.

Providers can view current authorizations and expiration dates through the Child Care Subsidy Provider Portal: https://childcare.mo.gov/s/provider-landing.

For provider-specific questions, contact 573-526-3011 or CCDSTeam@dese.mo.gov.

DESE-OOC understands the challenges associated with implementing a waitlist for child care subsidy services. However, the continued growth in demand underscores both the importance of the program, and the need to operate within available funding.

The department remains committed to transparency, responsible stewardship of state resources, and ensuring that child care assistance remains available to Missouri’s most vulnerable children and working families.