Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Office of Childhood (DESE OOC)
DESE OOC administers a variety of programs to assist child care programs and families.

DESE OOC offers funding to promote quality and safety in early care and education environments. One resource is the Child Care Subsidy Program which assists eligible parents/guardians with payments for child care in Missouri. The purpose of this program is to help families with the cost of child care so that they are able to focus on finding and holding steady jobs.

DESE OOC offers information on child care licensing, safety standards and updated changes in the law and child care rules and regulations in Missouri. The office also provides resources and FAQs if you want to become a licensed child care provider.

DESE OOC also partners with local child care providers to offer subsidized care through the Child Care Subsidy Program. Child care providers must be contracted or registered with DESE OOC to receive payment for care provided to subsidy-eligible children.

Early Education and Child Care at Mo.gov 
State website with general information on child care licensing and state related agencies that serve children. There is a link to the state child abuse and neglect hotline.

There are links to additional information for child care providers regarding licensing, Parents as Teachers, Head Start and First Steps.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in Missouri
Laws and regulations for children with special needs from birth through three years (Part C) and three years to 21 years of age (Part B).

Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children (MOAEYC) 
Missouri state affiliate of NAEYC promoting high quality learning for young children by practice, policy and research.

Missouri Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Assures that nutritious meals and snacks are served to children in child care programs.

Missouri Early Head Start (EHS)
The program provides an early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development program to children under age three whose family income is at or below the federal poverty line.

Missouri Head Start
A national child development program for children from birth to age five, which provides services to promote academic, social and emotional development, as well as providing social, health and nutrition services for income-eligible families.

Missouri Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 
The program has two components: Energy Assistance/Regular Heating (EA) and Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP).

MO HealthNet for Kids
The program provides medical care for children under 19 years of age whose family income falls within certain guidelines.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The federal program promotes the general welfare and safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s population by raising the levels of nutrition among low-income households.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The program provides cash benefits to low-income families for the household’s children such as clothing, utilities and other services.

United 4 Children
The program provides services to child care programs that care for children with diverse needs and abilities.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 
Special supplemental nutrition program which provides services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility.