Illinois
Working families in Illinois need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Illinois. But too many working families in Illinois are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Illinois economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
In the state, 69% of children have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $19,807 a year (or $1,651 per month).
More than 36,000 children ages 5 and under have child care costs subsidized through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), or 16% of those eligible. The average copay with a CCDBG subsidy is $335 a month.
28.2K children receive care, learning, nutrition, and other services at no cost through Early Head Start/Head Start (or 16% of those eligible for Early Head Start and 24% of those eligible for Head Start).
And 228.4K working families have the cost of their child care offset through the Child + Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).
However, many working parents still struggle to access affordable, quality child care, which costs the state’s economy an estimated $4.9 billion* each year in lost earnings and productivity.
Illinois: In The Headlines
$4.3M in federal funding announced to expand early head start child care programs in Quad Cities
WQAD | mARCH 12, 2025
SAL Family and Community Services will receive $4.3 million in federal funding to support early head start programs serving families in three Illinois counties.
Federal funding furthers Project NOW’s Head Start educational program
WVIK | March 9, 2026
A nonprofit organization in Rock Island is expanding its contributions to local families, giving children early education and services, after receiving $1,845,266 from federal funding.
Pre-K builds social-emotional skills key to kindergarten readiness, North Greene says
My Journal Courier | February 11, 2026
Self-regulation, emotional regulation, peer interaction and others social-emotional skills are among the biggest benefits for students in taking part in early learning programs.
Illinois Resources & News
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FFYF Briefing Room: Safeguarding Access to Affordable Child Care
March 2, 2026 – The federal child care program has a long history of bipartisan support, with a proven track record in strengthening families, fostering child development, and fueling the …
Democratic Quotes of Support for Head Start
Head Start provides high-quality learning and care, nutrition, and medical services for young children whose families have incomes below poverty. This helps their parents to go to work, especially in …
Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program is a $315 million competitive federal grant designed to improve collaboration and quality in states’ early childhood systems by building …
JOINT STATEMENT: Groups Call on Congress to Protect Head Start, End the Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Families with young children are feeling the pain of the federal shutdown, and without immediate Congressional action, tens of thousands of children could lose access to Head …
ANALYSIS: FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. These federal programs not only benefit families nationwide, they also serve …
State-By-State: A Look At How Many Families Receive the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC)
The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) helps millions of working families cover a portion of their child care costs. In 2022, more than 5.7 million families nationwide benefitted …
House Education and Workforce Hearing Highlights Overwhelming Bipartisan Agreement that Child Care is Key to a Robust Economy
The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing this week to discuss how Congress can address child care availability and affordability to …
How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
Two-thirds of all children ages five and under need some form of child care because all of the adults in their home are working. But child care remains both expensive …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …
2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …
First Five Questions For Reps. Tenney and Schneider
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) hosted Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Congressman Brad Schneider (D-Il) as part of our First Five Question Series – a monthly …
New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Financing
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve financing in their Preschool Development Grant Birth through …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Illinois — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
Governors Highlight Child Care As Key To Helping States Recover And Grow
For years, Democratic and Republican governors alike have prioritized early learning and care as a smart investment for their states. It’s no surprise, then, that as America faces an ever-worsening child care …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Illinois — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
New Report Offers Additional Data on Pandemic’s Impact for Child Care
Last week, Child Care Aware of America released a new report, Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post-COVID-19. The report outlines the pandemic’s impact on child …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Illinois: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Preschool Development Grant Funding Awarded to 26 States for 2020
UPDATE: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional three-year renewal grants are being awarded to South Carolina, Nebraska, and …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Illinois: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Governors Across the Country Celebrate Federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 Funding
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education (ED) announced that 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
