Missouri is home to many hard working families who are struggling to make ends meet. They take pride in working and in raising their children. Unfortunately, low wages and limited access to quality child care puts an incredible strain on families across the state.

The Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s first report, Make Work Work: Strengthening Missouri through Quality Child Care for Working Families, examines the state of affordable, quality child care in Missouri and the impact on economic mobility for working families.

Watch the video for an important message about the report

The Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s first report, Make Work Work: Strengthening Missouri through Quality Child Care for Working Families, highlights the significant gap between the income minimum wage working parents earn and the real costs it takes to support a family. The gap increases significantly considering the expense of child care, which can account for as much as 98% of household income for a family with two working parents and two children.  

Child care subsidies play a key role in bridging this gap and in helping families, especially mothers, participate in the workforce. Unfortu­nately, the income limits on eligibility are far too low for financially struggling families to qualify. This results in structural barriers that hold families back from economic stability, disproportionately impacting single parents and families of color.

Read the report for the full set of recommendations for helping Missouri’s working families.

“Improving access to affordable quality child care allows parents to enter the work force, improves Missouri’s economy, and supports healthy child development and well-being.”

-Gary Parker, Director, Clark-Fox Policy Institute