State of Illinois
Department of Human Services
Affordable Child Care shouldn't be out of reach for anyone.
Choosing a child care provider is an important job for anyone who works. But paying for that care can be a problem. We may be able to help.
You may be able to get help paying for child care if:
- you have a child (or children) under the age of 13, and
- you are working and meet income requirements, or
- you receive TANF and are in an education, training, or other work activity approved by your caseworker, or
- you are a teen parent (under age 20) in high school, an alternative high school, or GED program, or
- you are attending education or training activities including ESL, high school equivalency, GED, vocational training and 2- and 4-year college degree programs.
There are no waiting lists. Families who fall within the income categories for their family size are eligible.
All families pay a portion of the cost as a co-payment. The amount of the family's co-payment is based on income and family size.
The DHS child care program gives working parents equal access to services to help their children prepare for school. DHS is also working to increase child care resources to help meet the needs of Illinois families who work weekends, rotating shifts, or unconventional hours.
You can choose the child care provider who best fits your individual needs.
Payments are available for full and part-time care and for before and after school while you work or attend approved school/training.
DHS will help pay for child care arrangements that help ensure the well-being and safety of your child.
Illinois law defines the following legal care arrangements:
- Licensed Child Care Center
- License-Exempt Child Care Center
- Licensed Family Child Care Home
- Licensed Group Family Child Care Home
- License-Exempt Family Child Care Home
- Child Care by Non-relatives - in the child's home
7. Child Care by Relatives - in the relative's or child's home
(For the child care arrangements in numbers 5, 6, & 7 above, there are limits to the number of children for which care can be provided. Check with your local CCR&R for more information.)
Qualified child care providers must pass background checks to ensure they are providing a safe environment while caring for all children. DHS will not make payments to providers for the care of their own children or to providers who have been convicted of certain crimes.
DHS funds CCR&R agencies across the state to assist you with getting a child care application, finding quality child care, and possibly helping pay for your child care. Using the list to the right, find the county in which you live and that is the CCR&R agency you should contact.
Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies by Counties Served
- Boone, JoDaviess, Stephenson, Winnebago
YWCA Child Care Solutions
Child Care Resource & Referral
4990 East State Street, Rockford, IL 61108
888-225-7072 (voice) or 815-484-9442 (voice)
815-484-9442 (TTY)
- Carroll, DeKalb, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Whiteside
Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C)
Child Care Resource & Referral
155 N. Third, Suite 300, DeKalb, IL 60115
800-848-8727 (voice) or 815-758-8149 (voice)
- Lake
YWCA Child Care Resource & Referral
YWCA Lake County
1425 Tri-State Parkway, Suite 180, Gurnee, IL 60031
847-662-4247 (voice)
- DuPage, Kane
YWCA Child Care Resource & Referral
2055 Army Trail Road, Suite 140, Addison, IL 60101
630-790-6600 (voice)
- Grundy, Kankakee, Kendall, Will
Child Care Resource & Referral
801 N. Larkin, Suite 202, Joliet, IL 60435
800-641-4622 (voice) or 815-741-4622 (voice)
- Cook
Illinois Action for Children (IAFC) - Child Care Resource & Referral
1340 South Damen Avenue, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60608
312-823-1100 (voice)
- Henderson, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, Rock Island, Warren
Child Care Resource and Referral of Midwestern Illinois
3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 102
Moline IL 61265
309-205-3070 (voice) or 866-370-4566 (voice)
- Bureau, Fulton, LaSalle, Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, Stark, Tazewell, Woodford
SAL Family and Community Services Child Care Connection
3425 N. Dries Lane, Peoria, IL 61604
800-421-4371 (voice) or 309-686-3750 (voice)
- DeWitt, Ford, Livingston, McLean
Child Care Resource & Referral Network
207 W. Jefferson, Suite 301, Bloomington, IL 61701
800-437-8256 (voice) or 309-828-1892 (voice)
- Champaign, Douglas, Iroquois, Macon, Piatt, Vermillion
Child Care Resource Service
University of Illinois, 314 Bevier Hall
905 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
800-325-5516 (voice) or 217-333-3252 (voice)
217-244-9666 (TTY)
- Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar, Moultrie, Shelby
School of Family & Consumer Sciences Child Care Resource & Referral
Eastern Illinois University, Klehm Hall
600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920
800-643-1026 (voice) or 217-581-7081 (voice)
- Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Hancock, Jersey, Pike, Schuyler
West Central Child Care Connection
WCU Building, Room 610
510 Maine Street, Quincy, IL 62301
800-782-7318 (voice) or 217-222-2550 (voice)
- Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon, Scott
Community Child Care Connection, Inc.
901 South Spring Street, Springfield, IL 62704
800-676-2805 or 217-525-2805 (voice &TTY)
- Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington
Children's Home and Aid Child Care Resource & Referral Program
2133 Johnson Road, Suite 100A
Granite City, IL 62040
800-467-9200 (voice) or 618-452-8900 (voice)
- Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Jefferson, Lawrence, Marion, Richland, Wabash, Wayne
Project CHILD - Child Care Resource & Referral
327 Potomac Blvd., Suite C, P.O. Box 827
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
800-362-7257 (voice) or 618-244-2210 (voice)
- Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, White, Williamson
Child Care Resource & Referral
John A. Logan College, 700 Logan College Road
Carterville, IL 62918
800-548-5563 (voice)
If you are using a teletypewriter and there is not a TTY number listed, please call the Illinois Relay at 1-800-526-0844.
More Information
For more information on finding quality child care and getting financial assistance, call the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) at:
1-877-20-CHILD [1-877-202-4453] (Voice)
1-800-649-1884 (TTY)
For more information about the DHS Child Care program, call or visit your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency. If you have a complaint, make sure to contact your CCR&R too. Look up your local CCR&R by finding the county you live in on the list in this brochure, or look it up on the web .
If you have questions about any Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) program, call or visit your DHS' Family Community Resource Center (FCRC). We will answer your questions. If you do not know where your FCRC is or if you are unable to go there, you may call DHS Helpline
1-800-843-6154 Voice
You may also write to:
Illinois Department of Human Services
Bureau of Customer & Support Services (BCSS)
Springfield Office
100 S. Grand Ave East, 2nd Flr
Springfield, IL 62762
email: dhs.webbits@illinois.gov
Programs, activities and employment opportunities in the Illinois Department of Human Services are open and accessible to any individual or group without regard to age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin or religion. The department is an equal opportunity employer and practices affirmative action and reasonable accommodation programs.
IDHS 3211 (R-09-21) Affordable Child Care Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois.
10,000 copies P.O.#22-0323
