High quality child care improves children's experiences and developmental outcomes and also contributes to a prepared, productive, and stable current and future workforce. Practitioners who work in child care settings are responsible for the quality of care and early education provided to children and their families.

Legislative rule 20 ILCS 505/5.15 mandates a statewide survey of the workforce of licensed child care facilities be conducted every two years by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). This survey evaluates:

• the number of qualified caregivers attracted to vacant positions and any problems encountered by facilities in attracting and retaining capable caregivers;

• the qualifications of new caregivers hired at licensed day care facilities during the previous two-year period; and

• the average wages and salaries and fringe benefits paid to caregivers throughout the State computed on a regional basis.

Other areas assessed by the survey include information pertaining to fiscal management, enrollment patterns, staffing patterns, staff turnover rates, and professional development. The findings of this survey and analysis of administrative data profile the qualifications, salary and benefits, and turnover rates from the sample of licensed child care programs operating in Illinois.

IDHS contracted with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) to conduct the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY 2021) survey. The full survey can be viewed by clicking the button below.

Read the full market rate survey of licensed child care programs in Illinois for Fiscal Year 2022.

As required by State Statute 20 ILCS 505/5.15, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) submits an annual report to the Governor and Illinois General Assembly about the status of its child care program. The program is administered by the IDHS Division of Early Childhood (DEC), formerly the Office of Early Childhood. This report includes information on the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), including response to the COVID-19 pandemic within CCAP and Quality Improvement Programs. The 2022 Illinois Child Care Report includes information for the Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022), FY21 and FY20. The data in this report are from: a) the Child Care Management System (CCMS), b) the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies' (INCCRRA) aggregate database of the local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) parent customers, child care providers, and professional development activities; and c) the Gateways to Opportunity Registry. IDHS thanks the thousands of center-based staff, family child care providers and CCR&R staff for their support in the care and education of Illinois children. The Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (IDCFS) is the agency responsible for licensing child care providers.

Released by Illinois Action for Children, this brief on the economic impact of Early Care and Education looks at the early care and education industry through an economic lens—considering the industry’s contributions to the Illinois economy. It also re-examines government savings and the workforce impact of Early Care and Education in Illinois. Click below to read more.

Published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this report reminds policymakers and child advocates of the barriers that young families face. It examines national and state-level trends — highlighting areas of opportunity and concern — and then shares potential solutions that can help these families thrive.

Published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, in this two-generation program report, you'll learn:

• Low-income families with children age 8 and under face extra barriers that can affect the early years of a child’s development.

• A child’s success is strongly tied to his or her family’s stability and well-being.

• How a two-generation approach aims to create opportunities for families.

• Recommendations to help equip parents and kids with the tools they need to thrive.

The KIDS COUNT Data Book is an annual publication that assesses child well-being nationally and across the 50 states. The 2013 report calculates a composite index of overall child well-being for each state derived from 16 key indicators. The report also provides national trends, comparing recent data with data from mid-decade. The findings indicate that child health and education improved despite the recession, but economic and family/community well-being declined, with an increase in child poverty, insecure employment among parents and more children and families living in high-poverty neighborhoods.