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Advocates Seek Increase In Child Care Program Eligibility

Advocates turned out to the state Capitol to argue for greater funding for programs like the Child Care Assistance Program.
Liz Morris
/
Ounce of Prevention and Illinois Action for Children
Advocates turned out to the state Capitol to argue for greater funding for programs like the Child Care Assistance Program.

Hear the story here.

Advocates for children are pushing for expansion of a child care program for lower income families that was cut by former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration. 

The Child Care Assistance Program was cut severely in 2015 so that 90 percent of the participants lost services. The eligibility limits have increased since then.

Legislation under consideration would further increase the number eligible families by making the income limit higher.

“By increasing income eligibility, we can ensure that families are getting raises can accept that raise, and they can continue to work and know that they will have stable child care,” said Samir Tanna with the advocacy group Illinois Action for Children.

He said the cuts made parents and child care providers lose faith in the program, and that stable funding would rebuild that trust. 

Ireta Gasner, a vice president at Ounce of Prevention, agreed.

“The numbers are  still not rebounding,” she said. “ And so we continue to think about how can we can improve, get out the news about this ability that returned to the program so that we can have a family see this is the kind of work support that and investment in their children that we want to it be.”

Copyright 2019 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS

Maureen Foertsch McKinney is the NPR Illinois News Editor and a lead editor of Illinois Issues' feature articles, working with freelance writers, and is curator of the Equity blog. Maureen joined the staff in 1998 as projects editor. Previously, she worked at three Illinois daily newspapers, most recently the suburban Chicago-based Daily Herald, where she served stints as an education reporter and copy editor. She graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's in journalism. She also has a master's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Springfield.