Benesch COVID-19 Resource Center: ILLINOIS UPDATE – Emergency Childcare for Essential Workers

Following the recent closure of all childcare centers by the Illinois Governor’s Executive Order on March 20, 2020, the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (“GOECD”), in partnership with Illinois Department of Human Services (“IDHS”) and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (“IDCFS”) established a program that provides emergency childcare for essential workers during the healthcare emergency.

For more information on who is essential, please see  the definition of essential workers found here.

While, it is advised that children stay home when possible, this program acknowledges that some essential workers still require childcare during this healthcare emergency and establishes guidelines for providing emergency childcare for licensed and license-exempt childcare homes and unlicensed childcare centers.

Childcare Homes

Licensed and license-exempt childcare homes can serve up to six children of essential workers. There is no additional application or registration required. Participating childcare homes must notify the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) system that it will be providing emergency childcare services to connect providers with families that need care. Additionally, all background checks for childcare workers must be up-to-date. Interested childcare homes should contact grant providers if serving primarily low-income families and would require grant funds to support its operations.

Childcare Centers

Childcare Centers can serve up to 50 children per center with a maximum group size of 10 per classroom. To comply, childcare centers must complete an IDCFS Application for Child Care Facility License for operation of a Emergency Day Care Programs (“EDCP”) and submit it to Emergency.Daycare@illinois.gov. The EDCP license application can be accessed here. Childcare centers may also need to submit an updated IDCFS Authorization for Background Checks for Child Care, which can be accessed here. Childcare centers must notify the CCR&R system that it will be providing emergency childcare services. The CCR&R may be notified online here.

Licensed Emergency Day Programs will receive a recertification visit by the IDCFS 90 days following issuance of license and can be subject to visits by the Department during its hours of operation subject to the discretion of IDCFS.[1]

For more information, please contact a member of the Benesch Healthcare+ team.

Martha J. Sweterlitsch at msweterlitsch@beneschlaw.com or 614.223.9367.

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Please note that this information is current as of the date of this Client Alert, based on the available data. However, because COVID-19’s status and updates related to the same are ongoing, we recommend real-time review of guidance distributed by the CDC and local officials.

[1] Quick Reference of Rules for Emergency Child Care Centers,  https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD/Documents/Quick%20Reference%20of%20Rules%20for%20Emergency%20Child%20Care%20Centers.pdf