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After legislative turmoil, DCFS will no longer license child care centers

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* Illinois Action for Children press release…

[Yesterday], at the Carole Robertson Center for Early Learning, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the launch of a new, unified early childhood state agency-eliminating the need for multiple state agencies to administer the early childhood education and care system (ECEC) in Illinois. […]

The major programs that will be housed under the new agency will include the Early Childhood Block Grant at the Illinois State Board of Education, which funds the Preschool for All and the Prevention Initiative programs, the Child Care Assistance Program, Home Visiting, and Early Intervention programs at the Department of Human Services, and licensing for child care programs, which is currently administered by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Emphasis added because we talked about that topic last week. Some members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules were furious at the way DCFS was handling child care licensing and said they wanted to move that function to another agency.

Well, they’re getting their wish.

* Meanwhile, it turns out that one of the child care associations which has been complaining to JCAR members and other legislators about the problems with DCFS licensing rules was totally shut out of the process to create this new unified early childhood agency. And it claims others were as well. Excerpt from a press release by the Illinois Directors and Owners of Childcare Centers (ILDOCC)…

We agree wholeheartedly that new leadership and a fresh approach is critical to rebuilding and strengthening childcare access in Illinois. And creating a single agency focused exclusively on this issue is a positive step forward.

However, even with today’s announcement, it is important to note that the biggest trade organizations that represent providers of child care in every corner of the state were not involved, consulted or informed prior to this morning’s event. This is an example of what providers have faced far too often — where policy decisions are made without the input of the front line experts that provide these services which are relied upon by working families in Illinois. […]

As an organization that represents nearly 1,000 separate childcare facilities in Illinois, we look forward to the promise of our inclusion in this process. More importantly, we look forward to working with our legislative champions to ensure this process improves the industry, addresses the long-standing staffing crisis crippling the industry, and increases access to affordable childcare in every corner of the state.

In other words, if the administration keeps freezing them out, they’ll work with sympathetic legislators to make sure their voices are heard.

…Adding… I just received a call from the governor’s office. They point out that ILDOCC’s only major issue is allowing unqualified people to staff daycare centers and the administration refuses to allow this to ever happen. They also rightly note that this consolidation has been in the works for some time now.

…Adding… ILDOCC…

Yesterday, ILDOCC was happy to praise and state our gratitude to Governor Pritzker for his announcement on creating a new state agency for early childhood education. The change in licensing from the Department of Children and Family Services is something for which this organization has advocated for years.

We also shared our desire to work with the Governor’s office and other stakeholders as this moves forward. As an organization that represents nearly 1,000 licensed childcare centers in the state of Illinois, it is our hope that providers who are doing the work of caring for children will get to have a voice in these decisions being made, and we look forward to the opportunity to work together on this issue.

We are, however, disappointed with the statement from the Governor’s office this morning in response to our statement yesterday. While it is true that ILDOCC believes strongly that on the job experience should be given greater consideration in licensing standards, this is neither the only issue on which we advocate, nor does our organization support policies that are against the best interests of the children and families we serve.

It remains our hope that the Governor’s commitment yesterday to work with all stakeholders was an honest step toward a better system in Illinois where all voices are heard, and that this morning’s statement from his office was an unfortunate mistake.

We continue to look forward to working with the administration on an inclusive, transparent process toward passing legislation that genuinely improves the system in Illinois, and finally addresses the long-standing staffing crisis that has plagued this industry.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 10:14 am

Comments

This is fantastic news to the hard-working people that give their all to one of The Most Important Components of Illinois infrastructure.

The chaos and state-wide inconsistencies across anything that touches Licensing is beyond comprehension.

Hopefully the group that’s recently been exposed at JCAR for not being truthful is left behind.

There are so many intelligent, educated, experienced professionals in the Illinois ECE community that this could really be a new beginning.

Comment by Dreams Do Come True Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 10:31 am
At this point, any attempt at a new direction can’t be worse than staying stuck in the status quo.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 10:40 am
===can’t be worse than staying===

If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that things can always get worse.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 10:41 am
===Hopefully the group that’s recently been exposed at JCAR for not being truthful is left behind.===

The JCAR process around those rules was messy to say the least. But calling public employees who show up to testify in public hearings liars is a bad call. JCAR members and the fine folks at ILDOCCCCC are obviously frustrated, and that’s what happens when we disagree about policy things. But you don’t call the people who disagree with you liars when you lose the policy argument. Assuming the worst intentions and trashing public employees who are arguing that we should have highly qualified people taking care of babies isn’t an actual path to policy victory. It’s also not a great strategy to increase hiring of public employees.

Comment by Who else Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 11:13 am
If I were ILDOCC, I’d just take the win here. Declare victory and start working behind the scenes. Why publicly poke your soon-to-be regulator?

Comment by Telly Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 11:41 am
As a childcare director and a member of ILDOCC, I know we have been working on a lot of change for our industry and none of it is lowering standards. Someone working in my program for years but no college education should be recognized and prioritized in this industry. These changes have been done to address the teacher shortage in public grade schools and we need the same in early childhood to address the teacher shortage.

Comment by ECE Director Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 12:33 pm
Maybe I’m too cynical when it comes to DCFS functions, but this looks to me like if you can’t fix it, reorganize to buy time ..

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 12:33 pm
Used to be a DCFS Drone in a past life. I seem to recall an effort in 2012 to pull daycare licensing out of DCFS and move it to DHS. Bill to do that went somewhere to die after the union fought it. Glad to see this attempt to pull that unit out of DCFS will work. Never made sense to me that, that function was in DCFS. You have protection, foster care, and…. licensing daycares. First two functions are related. The third not so much. Though all of the workers are on the same pay grade so there was a lot of movement in between. Back then, daycare licensing was where you went when you burnt out from being a protection worker. Or were a permanency worker tired of driving all over the state. We used to call it the “flowers and bunnies” side of the office since it was such a different atmosphere from the rest of the building.

Comment by DHS Drone Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 12:43 pm
As a multisite owner and a member of ILDOCC I support making changes to qualifications that prioritize on the job experience/training as much as college coursework. Currently with the staffing crisis I feel being in compliance with a caring staff with job experience or onboarding training is priority over education. The staffing crisis impacted has impacted the childcare field for over 20 plus years now the changes to staffing qualifications are needed. The staff in my program who have experience/training and not college bring so value to the classroom and working amazing with young children. A child does not see a college coursework they see a caring person who believes in them. Being in the field over 20 years and a owner of several schools we need a partnering agency with owners of school on a board together working for the children and the next generation of care givers.

Comment by ECE Multisite Owner 20 plus yrs exp. Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 12:47 pm
Good point made by a couple of ECE commenters. A degree/certificate does not automatically make someone a good childcare worker. Let the daycare owners decide who’s best qualified. This silly notion that a piece of paper equals competence needs to stop.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:00 pm
===Let the daycare owners decide who’s best qualified===

lol

Yeah, that’ll work. C’mon.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:01 pm
=== Bill to do that went somewhere to die after the union fought it. ===

The governor doesn’t need a bill to do an administrative reorganization, i don’t think.

This is a good policy change, for a number of reasons.

DCFS needs to focus on its top job, child safety, and daycare licensure was always an overwhelming and unnecessary distraction.

There is also an inherent risk and conflict of interest in having the same agency license an agency that is responsible for investigating allegations of abuse or neglect at that agency.

One of the unintended consequences is that DCFS is likely to ignore or downplay violations at a facility that are not directly related to child safety or until a child is actually hurt.

Its a good argument for why DCFS should stop licensing child welfare agencies as well, particularly those that have residential services.

It also begs the question, when will DCFs get a new director?

Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:01 pm
Since 1964, our schools have operated successfully following the rules of DCFS. I have always felt that DCFS should not be in the education field of Early Child Development. As providers, We should be in the education department.
Additionally we are members of ILDOCC. This organization strives for high quality education in our field and we are led by ECE professionals with many years of experience
We should have a seat at the “round” table to make a revised framework for our field. We are the providers who adhere to the current rules. Churches, park districts, YMCA, Montessori, and local school districts are all exempt from DCFS rules. Why do they have a seat on the board and we don’t? I don’t know who the Governor is listening to , but he should start with ILDOCC

Comment by John Sears Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:16 pm
===Yeah, that’ll work.===

Daycare owners/directors presumably are the experts. They are able to interact with an applicant face to face. Why shouldn’t their discretion be trusted over a government licensing entity? Obviously some unscrupulous providers will cut corners but a State agency isn’t going to prevent that from happening. The State should at least accept input from stakeholders on what “qualified” should mean.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:22 pm
==Why shouldn’t their discretion be trusted==

You are far too naive.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:28 pm
=== presumably are the experts===

So are doctors. They’re heavily regulated.

Again, c’mon. They ain’t working with inanimate objects that nobody really cares about.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:30 pm
===You are far too naive.===

Maybe. It’s also possible I haven’t reached your level of cynicism. And I’ve worked as a State employee over 30 years so I’m pretty cynical.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 1:33 pm
As the owner of a childcare center for over two decades, I wholeheartedly support ILDOCC’s perspective. Merely sitting in a classroom and producing academic papers or undergoing testing doesn’t ensure that someone will excel as a caregiver for children. Those of us in the childcare field understand that real-world, hands-on experience, coupled with genuine compassion and affection, is the essential combination for delivering optimal care to young children. Our aim is not to dilute standards; rather, we advocate for standards that are logical, more feasible, and align better with practical childcare.

Comment by Margaret Loughran Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 2:57 pm
The state is so fortunate to have Ann Whalen doing this transitional work. I have high hopes for this plan with her input.

Comment by Ugh Wednesday, Oct 25, 23 @ 4:33 pm