A report shows Missouri had the largest enrollment decline for a federal program that helps working parents pay for child care.
The October report by Center for Law and Social Policy, or CLASP, says the number of Missouri children receiving a federal child care subsidy fell by 12,300 from 2012 through 2013.
Some officials think a recovering economy is the cause for the decrease, with families earning too much to qualify for the child care discounts.
But some Missouri advocates say otherwise. They think the state's reorganization of its Family Support Division offices in the Department of Social Services is preventing parents from signing up.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports state officials declined to comment or offer possible reasons for the decrease in enrollment.
