Kansas City-area residents who were bracing to lose access to federally funded child care can breathe a bit easier — at least for now.
Amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, the metro’s 17 sites for the national Head Start early child care program are set to lose their funding as of Nov. 1. The Mid-America Regional Council, which administers the program regionally, announced this week that all 17 sites will stay open on the various organizations’ own dime — at least for as long as they can.
Head Start, a federally-funded program established in 1965, provides services to children from households with qualifying incomes, those with disabilities, foster children and others. The 17 sites MARC administers in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties serve a total of 2,300 children and their families…