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Child Care Providers, Families Voice Concerns to Representatives Over New Law

Missouri's Capitol Building in 2017.
Meiying Wu / KBIA

Providers and families adversely affected by a new child care law spoke about their personal experiences and offered potential solutions to lawmakers on Tuesday.

As previously reported by the Missourian, the implementation of Nathan’s Law on Aug. 28 inadvertently pushed some children out of licensed child care homes, and in some cases, out of child care entirely.

Tuesday’s hearing before the General Laws Committee, held during a special session at the capitol, featured testimony from over 10 people.

One proposed solution would increase the number of children a single staff member could care for from 10 to 12. Several people said increasing the number of children a single staffer could care for would help mitigate the impact of providers having to count their own children. If the child-to-staff ratio was adjusted, some providers would not have to hire additional help.

To read more, visit our partners at the Columbia Missourian.