Child care is expensive - as much as college tuition.

Child care assistance helps working parents afford the high cost so they can remain employed. Most (70 percent) Mississippi parents of children under five are working, and 2/3 of those parents are in jobs that leave them income eligible for child care assistance. Yet the program is so underfunded that only 1 out of 10 children that qualify receive assistance. In Mississippi, over 13,000 children are on the waiting list for assistance.

MLICCI advocates for increased investment in the child care certificate program and improved policies and regulation so more families can access quality, affordable child care. We need you to help.

Decisions that shape the child care payment program are made by MDHS and State Early Childhood Advisory Council (SECAC).

To stay updated, follow our MLICCI Blog and signup for our Action Alerts. You may find additional information from MDHS here and from SECAC here.

We provide timely updates on important policies and connect you with decision makers. The emails provide talking points and contact resources to make sure your policymakers get the message to invest in early education and care for Mississippi's low-income children.

Visit our Publications Page to learn more about the policies influencing child care in Mississippi.