Missouri Bill Tightens Caps for In-Home Child-Care Providers

Missouri lawmakers have passed legislation limiting the number of young children at in-home child-care providers.

State law currently limits unlicensed child-care providers to supervising four children who are not relatives but contains no limit on the number of sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and cousins who can also be present.

A bill given final approval Thursday would set the limit at six children, of which no more than three could be under the age 2. Only relatives eligible to be enrolled in elementary or secondary school would be exempt from the cap.

Child-care providers who violate the new provisions could face fines of several hundred dollars.