About Daycare Decoder

This tool was built by a Missouri daycare operator who went through the licensing process and wanted to make it easier for others.

Missouri's child care licensing rules are real — and so are the stakes. But the official documents can be hard to navigate. Daycare Decoder gives you plain-English explanations and points you straight to the official sources, so you can spend less time searching and more time caring for children.

Anyone in Missouri who is opening, already running, or thinking about starting a licensed child care program:

• •Family home providers
• •Group home operators
• •Daycare center directors
• •Their staff

• •Ask a Question — type any Missouri child care licensing question and get a plain-English answer with citations to official sources
• •Upload a Photo — snap a picture of your facility or a form, and get feedback on how it relates to Missouri rules
• •Browse Topics — read through plain-English guides on the most common licensing topics