For Parents

If you are a parent looking for child care assistance or information about Illinois Action for Children in general, here are some quick links and information to help get you started.

For more detailed information about the resources available to you as a parent, please visit out our Family Resources section.

Assistance Paying for Child Care

The Illinois Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) makes it possible for families who qualify to receive financial assistance in paying for child care. Parents must be engaged in a qualifying activity such as work and/or school to be eligible. Parents must also meet income and family size guidelines that have been set according to 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Am I eligible? You can use the Illinois Department of Human Service's (IDHS) eligibility calculator to find out if you qualify for assistance.

How do I apply? Please visit our CCAP Forms page to download the appropriate forms or visit our Family Resources section for more details on child care assistance.

Finding Child Care

If you need help locating child care, we are available to assist you in finding the care that best meets your families needs. The following child care options are available to you:

• Licensed Child Care Center
• License-Exempt Child Care Center
• Licensed Family Child Care Home
• License-Exempt Family Child Care Home
• In-home Care
• Head Start
• Early Head Start
• Preschool for All

Click here to search for child care program referrals in and around Cook County twenty-four hours a day, or contact Illinois Action for Children by calling 312.823.1100 (press option 3).  You may also email us at referrals[at]actforchildren.org.  For more detailed information, please visit our Finding Child Care page.

Parent Leadership Project

As a parent you are a leader of your own life, your family, and your community. With that in mind, we have developed a custom parent group training series to help you learn and grow as a leader in each of these important areas.

Each Parent Leadership session lasts two hours, with the entire series lasting from 5 to 10 weeks. Topics include:

• Self Awareness
• How to be a Better Parent
• How the People in your Family Influence You and Your Children
• How Parents are Family and Community Advocates

Sessions are led by a professional trainer/facilitator that guides the group through an opening affirmation, facilitated lively discussions, in-depth personal sharing and group interaction, and a closing affirmation. At the end of the series, you will have the tools to articulate meaningful and clear goals for a personal and family vision.

Both evening sessions and Saturday sessions can be arranged. Sessions are held in convenient community locations, with sessions already taking place in Roseland/Pullman and Chicago Heights/Ford Heights, and more planned throughout Cook County.

For more information, please contact Jill Bradley-Harris at 773.564.8824.

Take Action!

To learn more about how you can take action on behalf of children and families in Illinois, please visit our Advocate section.

Crisis Child Care offered by Maryville Crisis Nursery

Illinois Action for Children has partnered with the Maryville Crisis Nursery, a provider of short-term care for children (newborn to age 6) of families who are experiencing a severe disruptive crisis and/or are challenged with an urgent family matter. This emergency child care takes place in a safe and nurturing environment to protect children from experiences and environments that could harm them. For more information on hours of operation and how long you can utilize this emergency child care, click here.