EXCERPT FROM: KOMU
By Arika Sampson
COLUMBIA - Missouri's latest budget cuts have trickled down to child care, taking $750,000 from Missouri Child Care Resource and Referral Network and causing it to consolidate eight agencies into four.

EXCERPT FROM: Suburban Journals
By Kevin Carbery
Since the death of her 3-month-old son three years ago at an in-home care setting, Shelley Blecha has been campaigning to tighten child care regulations.

EXCERPT FROM: News Tribune
By Angie Hutschreider
Children's advocates from across the state gathered Wednesday at the Capitol, holding red signs that sent their message clearly: Make Missouri's children and families first

EXCERPT FROM: The News Press & St. Joe Now
BY Kristin Hoppa
It’s no secret that the state of Missouri has faced continued budget problems over the past few months.

EXCERPT FROM: The Kansas City Star
By Matt Campbell
Missouri legislation that would cut money for child care would actually end up costing the state money, several area officials said Monday.

EXCERPT FROM: KansasCity.com
By Jason Noble
JEFFERSON CITY | A Missouri House committee slashed nearly $60 million from social-service programs in next year’s budget, including funding for health clinics, child care subsidies and assistance to victims of domestic violence.

EXCERPT FROM: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Nancy Cambria
Loree Phelps thought she had the recession beat.
The accredited Richmond Heights child care center she runs catered largely to professionals, and she had an eight-month waiting list for the infant room.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A new report finds that Missouri is among the most stringent nationally in providing child-care subsidies to low-income workers.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon released a statement this afternoon directing the state Department of Health and Senior Services not to follow through on a Thursday state Board of Health recommendation rescinding hundreds of rules governing the operation of faith-based child care centers in the state.