First Steps child-care centers lose contract

The Department of Social Services Nov. 4 closed contracts with First Steps child-care centers after discovering billing irregularities during a departmental investigation.

The department has between 8,000 and 10,000 contracts with child-care centers in Missouri and administers the child care subsidy program, said Deborah Scott, spokesperson for the department.

“Parents can still choose this particular vendor, but we are unable to make payments to them any longer,” she said. “We have a responsibility to administer the contracts judiciously, and from our investigation, we have enough concern about the administration of the contract that we are going to end it.”

Affected centers in Springfield are First Steps Day Care Learning Center North, First Steps Learning Tree West, First Steps Little Red Schoolhouse and The Nurturing Place. Other centers whose contracts were cut are First Steps Building Blocks in Branson, First Steps Smart Start in Monett, First Steps Learn and Grow in Mount Vernon and Nurturing Place Too in Nixa.

The alleged irregularities amount to tens of thousands of dollars and point to the center’s failure to keep accurate attendance records, which are needed to validate claims for payment.

First Steps of Southwest Missouri owners Stephen and Suzanne Smith could not be reached for comment.

The case was referred yesterday to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for further review and possible legal action.

A Child Care Resource and Referral contractor will be at the Family Support Division Office to help parents find other child care arrangements; the contractor can be reached at (417) 895-6000.

Affected parents outside of Greene County are asked to contact a referral specialist at the Council of Churches of the Ozarks at 1-800-743-8497.

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