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Paying
for Child Care
The
cost of paying for child care is a major consideration for most
families. Many families today are spending over half of their income
toward high-quality child care programs. There are many reasons why
child care can be so expensive. Some of the reasons include high
ratios of adults to children, teacher or provider qualifications,
location of care, and costs of space, insurance, equipment, and
special programs. Quality care for infants and toddlers can be
especially expensive, due to small group sizes. Hiring an in-home
caregiver tends to be the most expensive form of care, followed by
centers and family child care homes.
Find
out more about the cost of care, government assistance,
employer-sponsored programs, and tax credits that may be of benefit
to you.
Additional
information is included below. You can jump directly to a
topic by clicking the links below or simply scroll through the
various sections.
- Financial
Assistance
Choosing
a child care provider is an important job for anyone who works. But
paying for that care can be a problem.
CHILD
CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL MAY BE ABLE TO HELP
Child
Care Resource and Referral administers the Illinois Department of
Human Services Child Care Subsidy Program.
You
can get help paying for child care if :
- You
have a child (or children) under the age of 13
- Your
family fits in one of the income categories below
- You
( and your spouse) are working, or in a approved education/
training program
- You
are a teen parent
Family
Size........................Monthly Income must be Below 2........................................................$1,885
3........................................................$2,328
4........................................................$2,772
5........................................................$3,215
6........................................................$3,658
7........................................................$3,741
There
are no waiting list. All families who fall within the income
categories for their size family are eligible. All families pay a
portion of the cost as a co–payment. The amount of the family’s
co–payment is based on income, family size and number of children
in care. You can choose the child care provider who best fits your
individual needs. Payments are available for full – and part-time
care and for before and after school.
Child
care arrangements which DHS will help pay for… To help ensure the
well-being and safety of your child, Illinois law defines the
following legal care arrangements:
- Licensed
Child Care Center
- Licensed
Family Child Care Homes
- Licensed
Exempt Homes and Centers
To
receive information or an application for financial assistance call
CCR&R 1-800-548-5563.
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- Head
Start Programs
Head
Start is a national program that provides comprehensive
developmental and social services to America’s low-income
preschool children and their families. The Head Start Program began
in 1965 to give children of low-income families access to preschool
programs. The program is administered by the US Department of Health
and Human Services, through the Administration for Children and
Families.
There
are four major components of the Head Start Program:
- Education:
This component serves children’s cognitive, social, and
emotional growth. Great care and consideration is given to
ethnic and cultural curriculum.
- Health:
Families receive services related to medical, dental, mental,
and nutritional heath. The Head Start Program emphasizes the
prevention of health problems.
- Parental
Involvement: Parents are able to serve on advisory boards
and program-planning committees, volunteer in the classrooms,
and attend parent-education sessions. Head Start staff complete
home visits as well, to facilitate communication.
- Social
Services: Social service teams work to identify the needs of
a family and find appropriate community-based referrals.
In
1994, Head Start established a program to serve low-income infants,
toddlers, and pregnant women, called Early
Head Start. The main focus of the program is to promote
children’s development in physical, social, emotional, and
cognitive areas, empower parents to develop better parenting skills,
and help parents reach their goal of economic independence. Services
that are available through the Early Head Start Program include:
- Home
visits, which include developmentally appropriate early
childhood education
- Parent
education
- Comprehensive
health services
- Support
services for families, including case management, referrals to
community resources, and peer support
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- Tax
Information
- Federal Tax Credits:
Child
and Dependent Care Tax Credit: Helps families pay for child care
for children under the age of 13, if the parents are working.
Parents who are full-time students can also claim the credit.
Qualifying care includes child care centers, family child care
homes, and care provided by paid friends or relatives -- as long as
the relative is not a dependent of the taxpayer. The size of the
credit depends on the number of children in care, your family
income, and the amount you paid for child care during the tax year.
There are limits on the credit given for one child, and two or more
children.
Earned
Income Tax Credit: A refundable tax credit for low- and
moderate-income families, particularly those with children. The EITC
is based on family income and the number of children in the family.
Both single- and two-parent families are entitled to the credit, as
long as one parent is employed. A number of states have their own
Earned Income Tax Credits; check with your state department of
revenue for more information.
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