JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson’s administration wants to open child care facilities for the kids of state employees who work overnight shifts.
The move is aimed at shoring up job vacancies within state government by removing potential barriers to parents who might choose other jobs when their children are young.
Under a request for proposals from potential nighttime operators, the governor’s Office of Administration is looking to establish a list of potential contractors who can provide secure child care services between 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
The provider would be located near state facilities that operate overnight shifts, including state prisons, mental health facilities and youth detention facilities.
Coverage would be for infants to age 12.
Included in the plan is the possibility that a state agency could assist with startup costs. An overall cost estimate was not available.
The service is among a number of steps being taken by the Parson administration to address a state government workforce plagued by vacant positions.
Workers have seen wage increases of more than 15% over the past two years in an attempt to address high turnover, particularly in residential care facilities, prisons and mental health treatment centers. In some divisions, turnover was as high as 40%, compared to an industry standard of around 10%.
Child care has been a priority for Parson this year.
In February, the governor announced a program aimed at expanding the number of child care providers in the state.
“Access to quality child care for Missouri families is critical to achieving our workforce development goals,” Parson said at the time.
A major part of the problem stems from the closure of many child care facilities during the pandemic.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said prior to the pandemic there were over 4,400 regulated child care programs in the state. At the peak of the pandemic there were only 3,300 providers.
The number has since increased, but there is still a need for child care in many areas of the state, DESE officials said.
According to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the state’s economy lost out on $1.3 billion last year due to a lack of child care.
A December 2022 national survey of working parents by the business group ReadyNation found that about two-thirds of parents of infants and toddlers reported being late to work or having to leave work early because of inadequate child care. And 85% of parents surveyed said problems with child care hurt their work effort or their time available for work.
In January, Parson asked lawmakers to approve three new child care tax credit programs for providers and businesses. The tax credits were to help providers improve facilities, support employers who support their workers with child care assistance and allow more child care workers to receive a pay increase.
The Legislature closed out its session in May without having approved the proposal.
{div class=”lee-article-text first-p”}But, they did sign off on a plan that will ask voters next year if lawmakers should be allowed to zero out personal and real property taxes for child care centers.
Placing the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot represented a small win for those pushing to address child care staffing shortages, waiting lists and high prices in Missouri.
Chris Moreland, spokesman for the Office of Administration, said the agency did not have an estimate of how many workers might use the overnight services.
On April 18, President Joe Biden signed an executive order packed with directives meant to increase access to child care and improve the lives of caregivers.
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