Missouri's Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership Project expands access to Early Head Start (EHS) services for children birth to age 3 by developing partnerships between federal Head Start, EHS contractors, and child care providers. Head Start and EHS contractors that participate in the initiative provide services through community child care providers to both increase the number of children receiving EHS services and improve the overall quality of care. The services delivered through the child care providers must meet federal Head Start Program Performance Standards, state child care licensing requirements, and other state requirements. The initiative was created in 1998 when the Missouri state legislature set aside a portion of gaming revenue to create a fund for early childhood programs. The Missouri Department of Social Services then made an administrative decision to use these funds to expand EHS services. Missouri's approach to building on EHS includes the following: (1) Increase the capacity of existing Head Start and EHS programs to serve additional children and expectant mothers; and (2) Develop partnerships between EHS and community-based child care providers to provide EHS services to additional children in child care settings. ( Additional Information is provided. To view the 2008 report, "Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and Their Families" see ED537502.)