Child care providers across the state have closed their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some may be unable to reopen when the virus has run its course.
According to data collected by Child Care Aware of Missouri, 47% of child care programs in the state have shut down. Some counties have been hit harder than others. Andrew County only had six child care programs to begin with; now three have closed.
There isn’t a single county in the state that hasn’t seen a downward trend in the number of open facilities. In Boone County, 74 out of 184 programs have closed, a 40% drop.
In an industry where workers operate largely paycheck to paycheck, months of closures may force providers out of the business entirely.
To read more, visit our partners at the Columbia Missourian.