Early Childhood Education and Care Is an Investment in Our Future
Our Early Childhood Education and Care is Essential campaign reviewed the impact of high-quality programs for children, families, communities and state, highlighting challenges for providers and the workforce. While there is more work to be done, Illinois is making progress in strengthening its early childhood education and care ecosystem, including with the recent launch of the Department of Early Childhood, a unified agency to better support families and providers. And continued investments in programs that help young children thrive and prepare for kindergarten show a commitment to our youngest learners, their families, providers, and the future of our state.
The research is clear, high-quality early learning programs improve educational, social, and health-related outcomes in children, setting the foundation for long-term well-being and academic success. School readiness is improved by building cognitive and social-emotional skills that children need to thrive in school. Research also shows that early experiences in the home, in other care settings, and in communities shape the development of a child's brain, particularly in the first five years. High-quality early learning opportunities are essential in giving Illinois’ youngest learners a strong start.
When childcare is unaffordable or inaccessible, it creates barriers, forcing many families to make difficult decisions, impacting their financial security, and young children’s stability. In 2026, 69% of children in Illinois have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $19,807 a year (or $1,651 per month). Studies show that parents of children under age six needing to make job changes due to challenges with childcare, such as leaving or not taking employment. This has led to $172 billion in lost earnings and productivity each year involving families with children under age five, further impacting the economy. In Illinois alone, $6.2 billion was lost due to childcare challenges involving families with infants and toddlers. Fortunately, programs like the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) help families pay for childcare while parents work or attend school.
Where families reside plays a role in childcare access. An estimated 49% of Illinois children live in a childcare desert, with disproportionate impacts felt by low-income, rural, Latinx, and communities of color. In Illinois, CCAP participation rates varied widely by region. In some areas of the state, fewer than 20% of eligible children were enrolled, while in others, over 50% participated. These differences reflect local and regional accessibility, provider availability, and awareness of the program. To support working families and those eligible for childcare cost assistance, reducing childcare deserts and raising program awareness is a necessity.
The early childcare workforce also plays a pivotal role in the early years of our youngest learners, yet they are chronically undercompensated. Without educators, providers often have to reduce enrollment or close classrooms, creating greater access barriers for families. Investments in early educator pay and benefits are associated with improved retention in the early childhood workforce, stronger program stability, and better educator well-being. The Smart Start Workforce Grant (SSWG) program has allowed providers to improve staff wages while continuing to deliver high-quality education and care. In addition, providers receiving SSWG have a higher average enrollment of children receiving support through CCAP - increasing equity and enhancing access to families who need it most.
In recent years, Illinois has laid critical groundwork in early childhood care. With the Department of Early Childhood now a reality, the agency will support the state’s ability to identify gaps, and address challenges within the ecosystem. In addition, the forthcoming Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) will bring early childhood data from across programs and agencies together to help Illinois better understand the needs of children and families, improve service, and make more informed decisions. There is also ongoing work to align funding and programming, ensure equity-based funding adequacy targets are set across service areas, and establish a strong regional infrastructure. As Illinois continues to strengthen the future of our state, sustained investments in these programs are critical to ensure every child and family can access high-quality early learning and care so they can thrive and succeed.
Eucarol Juarez is the Senior Communications Associate at Advance Illinois