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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Unlike families with standard work schedules,
3those with nonstandard schedules often need care for their
4children outside of the hours when licensed child care
5programs typically operate; in addition, nonstandard work
6schedules may conflict with valuable aspects of family life,
7such as dining together, doing homework, reading, and
8completing bedtime routines; and
 
9    WHEREAS, In Illinois, there are child care centers and
10child care homes licensed and regulated by the Department of
11Children and Family Services (DCFS) as well as Family, Friend,
12and Neighbor home providers (FFN) that are license-exempt, but
13limited to care for three children; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In Illinois, we utilize the Child Care Assistance
15Program (CCAP) at the Illinois Department of Human Services
16(IDHS) to assist parents with low incomes in paying for child
17care while they work or while they are in school or training;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that
20our working parents, regardless of income status, can provide
21their children with appropriate child care when they are at
22work; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Early
3Learning Council, in consultation with the Governor's Office
4of Early Childhood Development and the Department of Human
5Services Child Care Advisory Council, shall convene an
6advisory committee comprised of the members, selected by the
7Governor, currently serving on these councils that shall be
8charged with the task of producing recommendations on off-hour
9child care to build more capacity in Illinois and to better
10accommodate the needs of children when care is needed during
11non-standard hours; in addition to the goals stated above, the
12committee shall consider at a minimum:
13        (1) Creating working definitions for nonstandard work
14    schedule and off-hour child care;
15        (2) Determining the availability of and need for
16    off-hour child care in Illinois, with a particular focus
17    on care available to infants and toddlers;
18        (3) Evaluating the different placement types of child
19    care with the intent to ensure that children are being
20    best cared for in the least restrictive manner and that
21    the parents are not being unduly burdened with accessing
22    this child care during non-traditional child care hours,
23    with attention paid to availability for children with
24    disabilities, English learners, and other relevant
25    priority populations;

 

 

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1        (4) Evaluating the demand for off-hour child care and
2    evaluating the current CCAP enrolled families to determine
3    their work schedules and child care timing needs; and
4        (5) Making recommendations on:
5            (a) Better alignment of child care assistance
6        policies with the work schedules and employment
7        circumstances of families;
8            (b) Encouraging expanded hours and variable
9        scheduling options in all types of care;
10            (c) Enhancing child care quality for children
11        whose parents work nonstandard and unstable schedules;
12        and
13            (d) How to reduce the need for off-hour care; and
14        be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Committee shall convene within 60 days
16of the adoption of this resolution and shall select a
17chairperson at its first meeting; the Committee shall
18thereafter meet on a regular schedule and no fewer than three
19times before submitting its recommendations; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the Governor's Office of Early Childhood
21Development shall provide administrative support for the
22Committee; and be it further
 
23    RESOLVED, That the Committee shall submit its final report

 

 

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1to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2022 and,
2upon the filing of the report, is dissolved; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That if the Committee is unable to conclude
4their work within the 102nd General Assembly, notice shall be
5provided to the General Assembly before any special sessions
6or veto session after the regular spring session that an
7extension is needed to ensure that all the necessary research
8and evaluation has been completed satisfactorily; and be it
9further
 
10    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
11delivered to the Department of Children and Family Services,
12the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, the
13Illinois State Board of Education, and the Department of Human
14Services.