May 2022 update: The CDC has released an Operational Guidance for K-12 schools and early care and education programs to support safe in-person learning. Referred for Enforcement: Revocation, Refuse to Renew License. DCFS Currently selected. The identified areas minus any special use areas shall be measured to calculate the square footage available for child care. Children and staff should wash their hands before and after playground use. Particularly in areas of substantial to high transmission as defined by the CDC, day cares should encourage staff and children who are not fully vaccinated to wear a mask outdoors when in crowded settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people who are not fully vaccinated. 131 0 obj We represent childcare center Directors and Owners currently working in the field by advocating for adequate funding, improvements in DCFS licensing regulations, comprehensive policy making, and solutions for workforce issues that positively impact the quality of care provided by childcare centers operating in the State of Illinois. 0 Centers have separate capacities for individual age ranges. Note: On January 12, 2022, IDPH and ISBE released a revised public health guidanceand FAQ document for K-12 schools. 138 0 obj 10170, effective May 29, 2020, for a maximum of 150 days; emergency amendment to emergency rule at 44 Ill. Reg. The Licensing Process A DCFS licensing representative may contact a day care provider to modify plans as necessary. <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[24 102]/Length 26/Size 126/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream License-exempt programs must follow the guidance contained within this document, including the directive in Executive Order 2021-18 requiring indoor use of face coverings by children, staff, and visitors who are two and older and able to medically tolerate a face covering, regardless of vaccination status, consistent with CDC guidance. Heres what you need to know about your home to get your license in the state of Illinois: Day Care Home and Group Day Care Home licenses are only issued in the family home of the individual(s) applying. If they are related and but not from the same household, the limit is 3 children. Inflammable or combustible artwork attached to the walls shall not exceed 20% of any wall area; The licensee shall hold monthly fire safety inspections of the Day Care Home and maintain documentation on file for a period of 1 year; There must be safe outdoor space for active play in yards, nearby parks or playgrounds. Training Requirements. They may fill these capacities as they see fit, as long as the total does not exceed their total capacity. There shall be a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor space per child for the total number of children using the area at any one time. PDF Department of Children and Family Services Policy Transmittal 2020.02 16138, effective September 18, 2020. Differences result from the following conditions: INCCRRA notes that because of data reporting processes, some sessions may not be included in the data. Alert Message: Anyone, 6 months of age and older, is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 129 0 obj Training Requirements Again, the capacity of your home program will depend on the ages of the children and if you have assistants helping out or not. Maximum provider/child ratio is (1:12), which includes providers own children under age 12, and with no more than 6 children under age 5 and no more than 3 under 30 months ; OR a school age group consisting of 8 school age children. <> For additional information on DCFSs definition of day care centers, see Section 407.45 of the state administrative code. Persons who have had lab-confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days prior to exposure, or those fully vaccinated and do not have COVID-19 symptoms, according to CDC guidelines, are not required to quarantine or get tested if identified as a close contact to a confirmed case. 0000001752 00000 n The highest risk of COVID-19 transmission is when groups of children are combined at the beginning and end of the day and staff are not vaccinated. xref Child Care Director Resources Illinois family child care licensing: Home requirements. Hot tubs must have locked covers or be inaccessible to children; Free-hanging cords on blinds, shades, and drapes must be tied or kept out of reach of children. The barrier must be one that has been commercially produced for this purpose and should not impede the staffs ability to supervise the children during nap time. This Guidance is intended as a supplement to the licensing standards outlined in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406, 407, and 408. . Day care facilities should communicate their strategies and any changes in plans to staff and families, and directly to older children, using accessible materials and communication channels, in a language and at a literacy level that staff, families, and children understand. "Day care center" means any child care facility which regularly provides day care for less than 24 hours per day for more than 8 children in a family home or more than 3 children in a facility other than a family home, including senior citizen buildings. endobj Find your nearest vaccination location at. Grievance Policy - Adoption Center of Illinois - How to make a The local health department will assess exposures and determine which individual(s) will be placed in quarantine and for how long due to close contact with a COVID-19 positive case. 0000005532 00000 n 0000005137 00000 n Communication plan regarding how the provider will inform parents, guardians, and staff of COVID-19 positive cases and/or exposures at the facility. Child care centers do not necessarily report all of their sessions, and thus all of their age-range capacities, to INCCRRA. Programs should consider pairing vaccinated support staff to certain classrooms for less cross over. ERMP is specific to each individual day care home or child care center and is intended to provide written instruction to staff, parents, and visitors detailing how the program will minimize risk of transmission of COVID-19. DCFS encourages anyone who plans to provide care covered by the Child Care Act to become licensed through the Department. Center-Based or In-Home Childcare: What Is Best for Your Child? This information will be updated as the State continues progressing through the Restore Illinois stages and COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for younger children. Home - ILDOCC 0000003670 00000 n <> 0000008644 00000 n Coronavirus or COVID-19 - Healthy Kids - dph.illinois.gov Can I be license-exempt? Licensed providers will find a host of resources, from referrals and links, to forms to download, find your licensing representative's contact information, what to expect when a complaint has been made, training opportunities, and all the latest news on rule changes, current issues, and a host of other relevant topics. During nap/sleep time, childrens cots or cribs should be separated by either 6 feet or a non- permeable barrier to separate napping children. Child Welfare Specialist- A&I Licensing Spec However, the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD), in partnership with the Illinois Departments of Human Services (IDHS) and Children and Family Services (IDCFS), has established a structure and system for child care providers to apply for an emergency child care license to provide care for essential workers. They may have a total capacity of 20. An additional four school-age children may be cared for with a part-time assistant. Data are not available by municipality for 2007 and earlier. Centers may serve children in full-day or half-day sessions. call Childhelp, 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453), or your local CPS 0000037716 00000 n They may have a total capacity of 20. <>stream Policy Guides - dcfs.illinois.gov If a private water supply is used instead of an approved public water supply, the applicant shall supply written records of current test results indicating the water supply is safe for drinking. A Group Day Care Home operator relying upon a cooperative or lending arrangement to meet the equipment requirements shall provide a copy of a written agreement specifying which required equipment are covered by the agreement. <> Prior to any changes in Guidance or rule, DCFS will evaluate recommendations of the CDC and IDPH to ensure a safe transition to lessened restrictions. endobj Please note that a family which is eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program may only use their CCAP certificate in a setting that is either exempt from licensure (e.g., a day care home that receives 3 or fewer children) or one that is licensed by the Department. %PDF-1.7 % Vaccinated staff limit the amount of transmission and promote continued care while reducing the risk of having to close the entire facility in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak because fully vaccinated adults do not have to quarantine if they are a close contact, except in limited circumstances. Illinois family child care licensing: Types of licenses, Up to eight children under 12 years of age, with no more than six children under 5 years and no more than two children under 30 months; OR. Centers should develop and maintain a list of qualified substitutes in the event staff are out sick. How staff are informed of access to and trained on proper use and expectations regarding PPE. <> A caregiver who relies upon outdoor space shared with other residents in a multiple family dwelling shall have a written agreement with the other residents or the owners of the outdoor area authorizing the use of the space by the Group Day Care Home and the children cared for. d) When toddlers play and sleep in separate rooms, there shall be minimum of 35 square feet of play space per child and a minimum of 30 square feet of sleeping space per child, with at least two feet between each cot or crib. This log will be accessible to licensing upon request and a copy kept in the staff personnel file. The capacity of your home child care will depend on the ages of the children and if you have an assistant or not. host of other relevant topics. 4502, effective March 15, 2005; amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 134 0 obj ", https://www.cdc.gov//schools/child-care-guidance.html. Under the guidelines of providing legal care, submitting necessary forms, and passing background checks, you will be able to receive payments at the License-exempt rate from IL DHS to care for children who are receiving state assistance. They may have a total capacity of 20. 0000004353 00000 n Centers may serve children in full-day or half-day sessions. Baby Safe Haven Law Information ; Day Care Information; Health and Safety Tips for Children; Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect; Protecting Children from Domestic Violence Funded by the Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Human Services, 7 Children's Research Center, 51 Gerty Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, iecam@illinois.edu Each day care facility should maintain a COVID-19 Mitigation Plan (also known as Reopening Plan), that details how the provider intends to meet health and safety standards around COVID-19.