Child Care Resource & Referral

About Child Care Resource and Referral Programs

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) programs are part of a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), as well as a part of the Child Care Aware National Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. The programs' focus is on locating child care that is tailored to meet the needs of each family, helping families determine if they qualify for help to pay for child care, providing training for those who work with children, recruiting additional child care providers and providing relevant consultations in child care programs.

For Families

Families can contact the CCR&R office located in their area of residence to get help finding the right early care and education porgram to meet their children's needs, and can learn what questions to ask to make sure their childfren learn and grow in a quality care setting. Families can visit the CCR&R office in person or online to connect to support services and can apply for Illinois' Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) if they need to help paying for care.

For Providers

Licensed and license-exempt child care centers and family child care providers can access a variety of free and low-cost resources through the local CCR&R office to support their businesses and the families they serve. All mandatory trainings required to maintain licensing status with the state of Illinois are available at the CCR&Rs, along with many training sessions and workshops on child development and child care business topics. Providers can consult for free with the Quality Team staff to get support with the ExceleRate Illinois quality rating system process or to answer questions on child development issues.

If you live or provide child care in or around the Quad Cities region, click onthe link for Peoria, IL or Moline, IL to be connected to the website for your local CCR&R office.