Learn how to unlock a Federal tax credit while strengthening your workforce
- Ray McCarty
- Jul 24
- 1 min read
Access to affordable child care is one of the biggest barriers to workforce participation, affecting recruitment, retention, productivity, and absenteeism. Child care benefits can help address these challenges while delivering a measurable return on investment.
For-profit employers offering child care benefits may qualify for the federal 45F Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit. Eligible employers can receive a tax credit equal to 40% of qualified child care benefit expenses—or 50% for eligible small businesses—making child care benefits a smart workforce investment.
Child Care Works is Missouri's new statewide child care cost-sharing program designed to help employers attract and retain talent and a strategy to leverage 45F. Child Care Works launched in 2025 as a Tri-Share model with state funding and support from Governor Kehoe. Funding and support have been renewed again in the current state budget. Child Care Works is a Tri-Share model (Employer + State + Employee) and has expanded to offer other models. Employers can offer Duo Share (Employer + Employee) and/or Tri-Share, and in St. Louis employers can offer Quad-Share (Employer + State + Local Philanthropy + Employee). These models do not require additional HR capacity on your end to implement. We have built the team to help you get started without requiring a heavy lift so cost share benefits for your workforce can begin right away.
Join Child Care Aware of Missouri and Kids Win Missouri for a FREE ZOOM webinar, August 17, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. to learn more about Child Care Works.
