Missouri Childhood Community Leaders

Safe, Healthy and Successful Learners

“Early childhood care and education is more than preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development f a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. It has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsive future citizens.” – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

We know that children need to be safe and healthy in order to be ready to learn. Ensuring Missouri’s children are safe, healthy and successful learners is the cornerstone of the Office of Childhood’s Community Leader initiative.

What is a Community Leader?

Missouri Childhood Community Leaders support families with children birth to age five. This coordinated support system is designed to ensure families have the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about the safety, health and education of their children.

There are Missouri Childhood Community Leaders in seven regions across the state. Click the button below to find your region’s Community Leader.

Find Your Community Leaders

What is United 4 Children’s Role?

Through a competitive bid process, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Office of Childhood awarded United 4 Children to serve as Missouri’s Early Care and Education Resource and Referral Network. As part of this contract, United 4 Children was tasked with selecting and collaborating with Community Leaders. Missouri Childhood Community Leaders will partner with United 4 Children to increase awareness of early childhood programs in their area, resources in their local community, and the strengths and needs of their region. They will create a plan to promote childhood programs by consolidating networking and advisory activities when possible, conducting targeted community outreach activities, and recruiting providers to work in early care and education programs. Together, they will work to ensure equitable access to resources and to opportunities to provide input on local decision-making across their region.

The Impact of Community Leaders

Learn More About Missouri Childhood Community Leaders