Each year, OOC makes information available to the public about the number of deaths, serious injuries, and instances of substantiated child abuse that occur in child care settings. Our goal is to keep children safe. We have rules in place for these child care settings, regularly inspect them, and provide support to help providers meet these rules. However, children are curious and sometimes get hurt even under the best conditions.

Child care providers are required to report to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Office of Childhood when a child is seriously injured or dies in care, even if it wasn’t the result of a rule violation (45 CFR 98.42 (b)(4)). The number of deaths and serious injuries reflected in this report come from submissions by child care providers.

Across over 150,000 children served from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, we are pleased to share that only 76 serious injuries and zero deaths were reported.

The Annual Report on Serious Injuries and Deaths is now available online for more information on how this data is reported and measured. Thank you to all our families and providers for the work you do in keeping Missouri children safe!