Starting a Childcare Center in Illinois

This is a visual representation of six credential levels ranging from noncredit community-based training through completion of a graduate degree. Each credential level combines education, work and practical experience, and professional contributions in the field of early care and education. By advancing on the career lattice, practitioners can potentially open up additional career opportunities for themselves.

Child Care Aware of America works with a national network of more than 400 child care resource and referral (CCR&Rs) agencies and other partners to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable child care.

Quality Improvement (QI) Funds are available through the local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agency. The QI Funds have been developed and are offered to assist and support programs that are choosing to work towards or maintain an ExceleRate™ IL Circle of Quality. The QI Funds are awarded based on available funding. Funds are provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs’ accreditation system provides a mechanism for early learning programs to demonstrate their commitment to high-quality early childhood education. The stages in the accreditation process are intentionally designed to celebrate programs for where they are; and provide the path they need to meet more rigorous and comprehensive standards.

This is a statewide quality rating and improvement system designed to make continuous quality improvement an everyday priority among early learning and development providers. The program establishes standards for helping infants, toddlers, and preschool -age children develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. It provides a framework for early learning and development professionals to identify opportunities for improvement, increase their skills, and take steps to make positive changes. ExceleRate Illinois is administered through the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) under the joint direction of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois State Board of Education.

This Head Start resource on family engagement offers strategies on how to support and engage families, how to use social media to engage families, how to boost school readiness through family engagement, and more.

This website highlights two programs, Great Start, a wage supplement program, and the Gateways Scholarship Program, that Gateways to Opportunities administers to support child care professionals.

Child care resource and referral services are available in all Illinois communities through a local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agency. Each CCR&R represents a grouping of counties in the state, referred to as a service delivery area (SDA). 

Gateways Credentials are symbols of professional achievement that show knowledge, skills and experience in caring and educating for children. Credentials are awarded and recognized by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Bureau of Child Care and Development.

Occasionally, DHS or other state organizations will offer grants or loans for start-up or enhancement purposes to persons wanting to become a licensed child care provider. The following office may advise of available grants or loans.

This short article discusses three key steps to take after discussing difficult topics with parents.

This website is a resource for anyone interested in licensed childcare in Illinois—parents, providers, and the public. Find out about a licensed childcare facility’s history, and learn about licensing standards, how to become a provider, where to find help with your childcare expenses, and how to make a complaint.

The Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) is a statewide organization which is a resource for making high quality, affordable early care and education and school-age care options available for children and families in Illinois.

This resource provides information on the market rates that providers are charging families for childcare.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. NAEYC advances a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and supports all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. The association comprises nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community and 52 Affiliates, all committed to delivering on the promise of high-quality early learning. Together, they work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.

These web pages will help current and future child care providers learn about the steps needed to take to be successful and will provide resources to ensure the early childhood program is providing a high-quality learning experience for young children.

This document describes licensing standards for day care centers.

A Professional Development Advisor (PDA) is an experienced Illinois professional who will assist individuals with planning and achieving career goals in early childhood. A PDA will guide individuals through developing a Professional Development Plan, share information about colleges and universities in their area that offer coursework in early childhood, as well as help them decide which credential or certification would be best for them.

This website provides the city, location, and phone numbers of local DCFS field offices.

This link provides specific resources associated with each standard for center/school based programs.