Springfield child care business expanding to KC area

provided by Christina Ford

Christina Ford is expanding Kids Inn Child Care Center to Lenexa, Kansas.

Springfield-based Kids Inn Child Care Center LLC is expanding to the Kansas City metro area.

Owner Christina Ford said the second Kids Inn location is expected to open in June in Lenexa, Kansas. The expansion was announced yesterday on Facebook.

"There are numerous vulnerable communities facing challenges related to the availability of child care openings per child, particularly in areas that provide nontraditional hours," Ford said via email. "Considering that Kansas is a neighboring state with several counties struggling to meet child care demands, we have made the decision to expand our services to address this critical need."

Ford said Kids Inn owns the building where it will operate in Lenexa, but she did not disclose the specific location. She declined to provide startup costs.

Kids Inn Child Care Center is a drop-in facility at 1511 E. Lark St. that Ford opened in 2022. Ford also operates The Rebound Foundation, a domestic violence advocacy and transitional housing nonprofit she founded with husband Dana, former men's basketball coach at Missouri State University. Dana Ford currently serves as assistant men's basketball coach for Southern Methodist University in Texas.