SEMO, Sikeston Partner to Expand Child Care Access and Support Regional Workforce

Through a collaborative effort involving SEMO, Bootheel Progress With Partnership, a tri-county economic development organization, and a new private child care provider, a previously unused child care facility at SEMO's Sikeston Regional Campus will soon reopen to serve families in the community.

"Projects like this demonstrate what can happen when a community identifies a challenge, studies it carefully, and works together to find solutions," said Marcie Lawson, president and CEO of Bootheel Progress With Partnership. "SEMO's willingness to partner with us and think creatively about how to utilize existing resources is making a real difference for families and employers in our region."

Identifying a Community Need

The effort began with a comprehensive child care study commissioned by Sikeston economic development leaders after local employers repeatedly identified child care as a workforce challenge.

"When meeting with our major employers, I felt like more of them were citing child care as one of the challenges in their workforce," Lawson said. "We were also hearing it in everyday conversations with friends and neighbors who were struggling to find reliable care."

Rather than assume the extent of the problem, Lawson and community leaders sought data to better understand the issue before developing potential solutions.

"We wanted to confirm there was an actual need instead of assuming child care was a problem based on a handful of conversations," Lawson said. "If we were going to work toward a solution, we wanted to make sure we were focused on the right solution."

Bootheel Progress With Partnership's Board of Directors engaged Chrisman Consulting to conduct the regional child care study of Scott, Mississippi, and New Madrid Counties. The study found the shortage extended beyond traditional child care for younger children to include summer care options for school-age students. It also revealed that while many employers operate around the clock, the most common need among families was not overnight care but extended hours before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

"Having the study allowed us to move from anecdotal conversations to real data," Lawson said. "It also helped spark important discussions about potential solutions."

Partnering for a Solution

Local entrepreneur Tiffany Harris, contacted Lawson's office after noticing the shortage of child care providers.

"She was relocating back to the region and immediately recognized the lack of child care options," Lawson said. "She's an experienced businesswoman and had connections to the child care industry."

After reviewing the study findings and exploring available support programs, Harris launched Future Leaders Learning Academy, a new child care business designed to serve local families.

Lawson connected her with SEMO leaders to explore leasing a University facility originally designed for child care but no longer in use.

"SEMO was an obvious partner because they had a space designed for exactly this purpose," Lawson said. "They had also shown a genuine interest in being part of the conversation by participating in our child care study focus group."

The project gained momentum when a state grant opportunity became available to support child care expansion. Future Leaders Learning Academy was awarded $41,000 in grant funding on January 29 to support the project. The grant required a local match, which partners across the region quickly assembled.

SEMO committed $30,000 in in-kind support, while Bootheel Progress With Partnership contributed $11,000 in combined in-kind and cash support. Lawson said this collaboration made the application possible.

"Having SEMO step forward and advocate for the importance of this partnership to the Sikeston community helped us move the project forward," she said.

The University hopes it will once again be an experiential learning and training ground for SEMO students.

Supporting Families and Workforce Growth

Once operational in early May, the new facility will provide child care for as many as 50 families in Sikeston and the surrounding area. Lawson says for many parents the impact will be immediate.

"This means families now have a new option for safe, reliable, and affordable child care," she said. "It will help relieve the stress many parents feel when they're trying to piece together child care with relatives or friends."

Expanding child care access also plays a critical role in workforce development.

"It allows people who want to be in the workforce to be in the workforce," Lawson said. "Parents shouldn't have to choose between working and staying home because they can't find care."

Strengthening Regional Partnerships

"The way this project has come together makes me incredibly proud," said Lawson. "When I think about all the moving pieces it took to make this happen, it reminds me that when a community comes together to solve a problem, there's very little we can't accomplish. I'm proud of the employers who spoke up about the challenge, the stakeholders who helped study the issue, Tiffany for taking the risk to open a new business, and SEMO for being willing to try something new because they recognized the positive impact it would have on our region."

Lawson says she's eager for continued collaboration and the growing partnership between Sikeston and SEMO.

"SEMO's new administration has strengthened trust between the University and the Sikeston community," she said. "This felt like a great opportunity for us to work together on something that could make a real difference."

SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson agrees and says it's a sign of things to come.

"As I toured the Bootheel and met with community leaders last summer, I heard repeatedly that they want SEMO to be a presence in their community," said Hodson. "We're proud to be part of these communities, we're going to be fierce advocates for them, and we're going to find ways to partner that provide benefits for SEMO students and contribute to the economic development of the region."

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