Mississippi Business Alliance Child Care Research Report

Mississippi employers face numerous workforce challenges ranging from employee retention to workforce participation; however, business leaders across industries consistently cite one factor that affects productivity, recruitment, and long-term economic growth: access to affordable, reliable child care.

From late 2025 through early 2026, Moore Media Group partnered with the Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation to conduct polling research about this important issue, seeking to better understand how child care affects Mississippi’s workforce and what role employers might play in addressing the issue. The report contained reliable data from business leaders across the state and helped create actionable recommendations for lawmakers. After research was concluded, we designed the final report into an engaging and educational printed piece ready for distribution. Research was conducted through a grant from the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi funded by the Mississippi Department of Human Services,

Polling Research

Moore Media Group worked with Bastillian Strategies to design and conduct a statewide survey of 300 Mississippi business decision-makers, including owners, executives, hiring managers, and HR professionals. The survey was conducted with a margin of error of ±5.66% at a 95% confidence level.

The research explored topics such as:

  • Employer perceptions of child care as a workforce issue

  • Current use of employer-supported child care benefits

  • Awareness and utilization of Mississippi’s child care tax credits

Incentives that would encourage businesses to participate in child care solutions

Report Design & Communications

Moore Media Group also designed and produced the final report, translating complex research findings into a visually engaging and easily digestible publication. Through thoughtful layout, graphics, and storytelling, the report was designed to clearly communicate key insights and policy implications from our research data. We then assisted the MSBA Foundation with public relations support through the creation of distribution of a press release outlining the report’s findings, and coordinated media appearances with chamber leadership.

Impact

Our research confirmed that child care access is a workforce and economic development challenge affecting employers across Mississippi.

Key findings from the study included:

  • Child care is consistently cited by employers as a barrier to workforce participation and retention

  • 56% of employers who offer child care support reported increased employee loyalty, retention, and productivity

  • 53% of employers said they would be more likely to participate if incentives such as tax credits were simplified

  • Only 8% of businesses surveyed currently offer any form of child care support to employees

The report helped elevate child care as a critical workforce issue for Mississippi’s business community and provided a data-driven basis for policy discussions around employer incentives and workforce participation.