Coordination with Child Care Resource and Referral Systems

Lead Agencies may use CCDF funds to establish or support a system or network of local or regional child care resource and referral (CCR&R) organizations that is coordinated, to the extent determined by the Lead Agency, by a statewide public or private non-profit, community-based or regionally based, lead child care resource and referral organization (such as a statewide CCR&R network).

If Lead Agencies use CCDF funds for local CCR&R organizations, the local or regional CCR&R organizations supported by those funds must, at the direction of the Lead Agency:

Provide parents in the State with consumer education information concerning the full range of child care options (including faith-based and community-based child care providers), analyzed by provider, including child care provided during non-traditional hours and through emergency child care centers, in their area.

To the extent practicable, work directly with families who receive assistance to offer the families support and assistance to make an informed decision about which child care providers they will use to ensure that the families are enrolling their children in the most appropriate child care setting that suits their needs and one that is of high quality (as determined by the Lead Agency).

Collect data and provide information on the coordination of services and supports, including services under Part B, Section 619 and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Collect data and provide information on the supply of and demand for child care services in areas of the State and submit the information to the Lead Agency.

Work to establish partnerships with public agencies and private entities, including faith- based and community-based child care providers, to increase the supply and quality of child care services in the State and, as appropriate, coordinate their activities with the activities of the Lead Agency and local agencies that administer funds made available through CCDF.

8.3.1 Funding a system or network of CCR&R organization(s)

Does the Lead Agency fund a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s)?

No. The Lead Agency does not fund a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s) and has no plans to establish one.

No, but the Lead Agency has plans to develop a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s).

Yes. The Lead Agency funds a system or network of local or regional CCR&R

organization(s) with all the responsibilities outlined above. If yes, describe the activities outlined above carried out by the CCR&R organization(s), as directed by the Lead Agency: The grant agreements between the Illinois Department of Human Services and the local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&R) includes criteria pertaining to fiscal responsibility and reporting requirements, administrative requirements, service deliverables, performance measures and standards as well as linguistic and cultural competence. Specifically, the scope of services state that the CCR&R agencies will assemble and maintain a child care provider database, provide consumer education and child care referrals to parents/guardians, provide training and technical assistance to child care providers, perform recruitment and retention activities for child care options, and collect and analyze child care demand/supply data. In addition, the CCR&Rs administer the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) which includes providing families information about the program, providing eligibility determination for the CCAP, and process provider payments for the CCAP. There are 14 agencies that provide CCR&R services in 16 geographic Service Delivery Areas. All counties in Illinois are covered by a CCR&R agency. The 14 agencies providing CCR&R services vary and include YWCA organizations, community colleges, public universities, social service agencies and standalone entities. The statewide network is coordinated by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA).