Resources for Essential Persons
𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀
The “Stay at Home” executive order temporarily closed child care programs in Illinois and families are advised to keep their children at home wherever possible. However, we know this is not an option for many essential workers serving on the front lines of this outbreak. The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development, along with IDHS and DCFS, are working to provide these critical services for our essential workers.
If you are an essential worker in need of these services, you can locate your nearest provider on the COVID-19 Emergency Provider Search. You can also call the Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies Hotline toll-free at (888) 228-1146. The helpline will be available from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Monday through Friday to answer calls, but callers will be able to leave a message 24 hours a day.
For as long as the public health emergency continues, licensed and licensed-exempt child care homes may serve up to six children of essential workers as a legally license-exempt home. No application or registration is required. Child care homes just need to notify the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) system that you are offering emergency child care for children of essential workers. This way we can match you to families in need of these services.
Child care centers can apply to become an Emergency Child Care Center during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. To apply, complete an IDCFS Application for Child Care Facility License and submit it to [email protected]. You may need to submit updated IDCFS Authorization for Background Checks for Child Care. Centers are recommended to serve no more than 50 children per center with a maximum group size of 10 per classroom.
𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑟’𝑠 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒.