Illinois Home Day Care Laws

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By Victoria Ries
eHow Contributing Writer

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Home day care can be the ideal line of extra income for stay-at-home moms in Illinois who would like to offer their parenting expertise and child-management skills to parents who choose to work outside the home. In Illinois there are certain requirements to take care of before a home day care facility is opened for business. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for making these rules and regulations and for ensuring that they're strictly enforced.

Considerations

In order to be considered as a candidate for home day care in Illinois, you will first have to fill out an application. There are three applications to choose from, and they are Day Care Home, Day Care Center or Group Day Care Home. Figure out the application that best suits your purpose and complete, sign and date. Turn in the application to DCFS for consideration.

Size

A Day Care Home is a home in which three to 12 children are being cared for. A Day Care Center is categorized as a family home where eight or more children are being cared for, or a nonfamily home where more than three children are being cared for in the home or in the designated building. The Group Day Care Home is categorized as a family home where three to 16 children are being looked after.

Significance

The only exemptions from DCFS regulations are if children, regardless of age, are being cared for on federal property, in a shopping center or mall where their parents are shopping, or at a special activities summer camp. Additionally, if children 3 years of age or older are going to an accredited educational establishment or are being cared for by a licensed nonprofit religious order for day care services, the service provider is also exempt.

Identification

There are no fees for the application nor the actual license to become a day care provider in Illinois; however, a background check is mandatory. All providers over the age of 14 must pass a background check successfully along with all the workers, officers, board members and CEO. Once your license has been approved, it will take approximately two to six months to be processed. The license will last for three years.

Effects

Within 15 days prior to receiving your day care license, a home inspection will be performed to ensure that your home conforms to all state requirements for day care providers. The potential day care facility will undergo a fire-safety check conducted by the local fire department. DCFS will inspect your home before issuing your license and a yearly check will be done as a routine regulation requirement. Any complaints DCFS receives about your day care facility will warrant an inspection by DCFS staff.