Must be at least 19 and have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate (GED) and 60 semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university, including 6 semester hours in courses directly related to child care and/or child development (birth to 6 years) or 1 year (1560 clock hours) child development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten or licensed day care center and 30 semester hours of credits from an accredited college or university, including 6 semester hours in courses directly related to child care and/or child development or a Child Development Associate credential.

Do I need to be licensed to do child care in my home?

If the number of unrelated children you provide care for, is more than three (including your own children under age 12), you will need to obtain a child care license from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Can I be license-exempt?

If you provide care for only three or fewer children under the age of thirteen, including your own, or children from a single household or only children related to you, then you may be license-exempt.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) policy differs from DCFS in that while DCFS allows you to care for numberous children that are all related, IDHS only allows payment if the children are all from the same household family. 

If they are related and but not from the same household, the limit is 3 children. 

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.

To report suspected child abuse in Illinois, call Toll-Free: (800) 252-2873l. Local (toll): (217) 524-2606

For national child abuse information, call Childhelp®, 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453), or your local CPS agency.