Helpful Links for Parents and Providers
Child Care Aware is a non-profit initiative committed to helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care and child care resources in their community. www.childcareaware.org
Healthy Child Care America
Everyday, millions of young children leave home to spend part or most of their day in some type of child care setting.
This site contains information to help parents make the best child care choice, as well as valuable resources specifically
for child care providers. www.healthychildcare.org
NACCRRA
The National Association of Child Care Resource Referrals is the national network of more than 850 child care resource and
referral centers located in every state and most communities across the US. CCR&R centers help families, child care providers,
and communities find, provide, and plan for affordable, quality child care. www.naccrra.org
NAEYC
The National Association for the Education of Young Children is dedicated to improving the well being of
all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth
through age 8. www.naeyc.org
NAFCC
The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by
strengthening the profession of family child care. www.nafcc.org
NCCA
The Mission of the National Child Care Association is to promote the growth and safeguard the interest of quality childhood care and education focusing on licensed, private providers of these services. www.nccanet.org/
The National After-School Association is the leading voice of the after-school profession, dedicated to the development, education, and care of children and youth during their out-of-school hours. www.naaweb.org
NACCP
The National Association of Child Care Providers is committed to strengthening the skill level of
leaders in the field of early child care and education and to improving the quality of early child care and education.
www.naccp.org
DCFS
On this web site you will find timely information about Child Protection, Foster Care, Adoption, Day Care licensing and
other services provided by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services. www.state.il.us/dcfs
Strengthening Families Illinois
Strengthening Families is an initiative that involves early childhood centers working with families to build protective factors around children in order to reduce abuse and neglect. Included at this website is Café Talk: The Game that Gets to Heart of Families. www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org/
DHS
The mission of the Illinois Department of Human Services is to assist Illinois residents to achieve self-sufficiency,
independence and health to the maximum extent possible by providing integrated family-oriented services, promoting
prevention and establishing measurable outcomes in partnership with communities. The Illinois Department of Human
Services and your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency are dedicated to improving the accessibility, affordability
and quality of child care in your community. www.dhs.state.il.us
Child Care Specific DHS Bureau of Child Care and Development
INCCRRA
The Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
is an organization of regional Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies
serving communities throughout the state of Illinois. www.inccrra.org
Childhood Obesity Project is the results of a partnership between INCCRRA and the Illinois Department of Human
Services to provide information on childhood obesity. The intent is to communicate to child care practitioners,
parents and others who visit the website, the seriousness of obesity in young children and to link them to current research on the
issue. It features articles on healthy eating habits, recipes and fun activities to keep kids - and adults - moving.
Spanish edition also available. www.inccrra.org
All Kids
This is a state program offering health care coverage to children, pregnant
women and their babies. All Kids also helps in paying premiums
of employer or private health insurance plans. www.allkidscovered.com
Illinois Gateways to Opportunity is the single statewide support network designed to provide guidance, encouragement,
and recognition to individuals and programs who serve young children and their families. It illustrates the many career pathways and provides
coordination of resources on education and training for those seeking career development and enhancement. Spanish edition also available. www.ilgateways.com
Child Care Resource and Referral System in Illinois launched the Safe, Simple, Sleep campaign to educate everyone who cares for children about the latest crib safety standards and safe sleep practices.
