What child care options are available?
4-C refers families to a variety of program types serving children from 0-12 years of age:
- Programs licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services. Programs may be center based or home based.
- Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.
- Preschool For All programs funded by the Illinois State Board of Education.
- Programs that are exempt from licensing and can include both center and home-based programs. Illinois allows some programs to legally operate without a license, these programs are considered License Exempt. They are not monitored by or held to DCFS health and safety standards. They may be monitored by another entity.
Home Based Child Care Programs
Home based child care programs offer families a child care option in a smaller, family-like setting. Licensed programs follow DCFS rules and regulations, including background checks, staff training, and yearly monitoring visits. License exempt programs do not follow these same rules and regulations but must work with our Health and Safety Coaches if they participate in the CCAP program.
- Licensed Family Child Care providers may care for up to eight children (including their own), or up to 12 children with an assistant.
- Licensed Family Child Care Group Home providers may care for up to 16 children (including their own) with the help of a full-time assistant.
- License-Exempt Family Child Care providers may care for three or fewer children (including their own children 12 or younger), or the children from one family. License exempt programs can include family, friend, or neighbor care and may participate in the CCAP program.
Center Based Child Care Programs
Child Care Centers provide care for groups of children ages 0-12 years, outside of a residential setting. Children are usually grouped by age. Types of centers include Full Day, Full Year Programs, Early Head Start/Head Start, Preschool For All, Part-Time Preschool, Before and After School Programs and Summer Care Programs.
- Licensed Child Care Centers
Must meet Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) standards for health and safety, staff to child classroom ratios, required staff training and background checks, and yearly monitoring visits among other requirements. For licensed centers the following staff to child ratios and maximum group sizes are set by DCFS and must be followed.
Licensed centers must meet the following staff to child ratios and maximum group sizes set by DCFS
| Age of Children | Staff to Child Ratio | Maximum Group Size |
| Infants (6 weeks to 14 months) | 1 to 4 | 12 |
| Toddlers (15 through 23 months) | 1 to 5 | 15 |
| Two Years | 1 to 8 | 16 |
| Three Years | 1 to 10 | 20 |
| Four Years | 1 to 10 | 20 |
| Five Years (Preschool) | 1 to 20 | 20 |
| School-Age (Kindergarten and above) | 1 to 20 | 30 |
- License-Exempt Child Care Centers
License Exempt Child Care Centers include programs serving children 3 years and older and operated by public or private elementary or secondary schools, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education or other accredited schools registered with the Illinois State Board of Education. Since these settings are not licensed, they are not held to DCFS licensing standards.
Families that participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) may attend any type of childcare program listed above as long as that particular program has availability and accepts CCAP payments. Contact our Referral Specialists for a free list of programs near you that fit your family’s needs.