Child Care

The Illinois Department of Human Services works hand-in-hand with local communities throughout Illinois to provide low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care.  DHS contracts with over 100 child care providers to give quality care for your child(ren) in a safe and healthy environment.

Child Care

• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provides low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care that allows them to continue working and contributes to the healthy, emotional and social development of the child.  Families are required to cost-share on a sliding scale based on family size, income, and number of children in care.
• Migrant Head Start office provides child care and a comprehensive program of health, parent involvement, and social services for preschool children (under 6 years of age) of low-income migrant and seasonal farm workers. 
• Head Start State Collaboration office is a federal-state partnership organized to support and encourage collaboration with Head Start and various other state and local stakeholders that serve low-income families with young children. 
• Healthy Child Care Illinois provides a network of registered nurses who help child care workers provide quality care for the well-being of Illinois children.
• Quality Counts Quality Rating System (QRS) assists Illinois child care programs in providing quality care for children and their families. A provider's voluntary participation in QRS means they have gone the extra mile to help make sure children are receiving an enhanced learning and care experience, which can help children succeed in school and in life. Providers caring for children eligible for the IDHS Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) also receive a quality bonus above the standard payment rate.

Early Intervention

• Early Intervention - To help children (ages 0 to 3), with disabilities or delays, to learn and grow. 
• Early Learning Challenge - Parents, practitioners, and other early childhood stakeholders we need your help!

More Information & Resources 

• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Eligibility Calculator
• Child Care and Parenting Tips
• Childhood Obesity Project
• The CCMS Communicator Newsletters

Billing Information

• IDHS Child Care Telephone Billing System for CCR&R Staff
• IDHS Child Care Telephone Billing System for Providers

Payments

• Child Care Payment Inquiry - a toll-free number that child care providers can use to check if their child care certificate has been entered for payment and an approximate mail date.
• Child Care Payment Rates - Rates apply to all child care except the adult/teen/child care disregard.
• Parent Co-Payment Information - What the parent pays once they have been approved for child care benefits.
• The Illinois Debit MasterCard® card is a fast, convenient and secure method of receiving your payments. DHS offers this program for licensed and licensed-exempt home Child Care Providers.

Reports/Plans/Staffing Surveys

• Current and Previous Reports

Publications

• Affordable Child Care Brochure (English)
• Cuidado de Ninos a su alcance (Espanol)