Where are the most day care slots?

More than 65 percent of licensed day care "slots" in Illinois are found in day care centers. However, licensed day care homes outnumber licensed day care centers 3-to-1. See our day care statistics for details.

Day Care General Information Protective/Family Maintenance Day Care Programs

DCFS is responsible for setting standards and licensing day care centers, homes, group homes and day care agencies in the state. In August 2000, Illinois had 2,732 licensed day care centers, 9,452 licensed day care homes and 247 group day care homes with a combined capacity to serve more than 246 thousand children.

The Department also purchases day care services for individual children.

Protective/Family Maintenance Day Care Programs serve children in the DCFS caseloads. Protective Service Day Care is provided to children in "indicated" reports of child abuse or neglect; the services help to prevent and remedy the abuse, neglect or exploitation of children. Family Maintenance Day Care services are provided to high-risk families whose children are in open DCFS cases; they are used to prevent and reduce parental stress that may lead to child abuse or neglect. The services also help children to develop properly and enable families to remain together. Protective/Family Maintenance Day Care Programs are part of a group of social services tailored to meet the individual needs of troubled families.

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