We’re Opening to the Public!

Child Care Resource Service will re-open to the public beginning Tuesday, September 6^th. Walk-in hours will be as follows:

• Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri,  8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Tues 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

All visitors must wear a mask to be allowed into our space in Room 314. If you are feeling unwell or sick, please stay at home and call us rather than coming in.  Phone hours will remain the same.

If you are only dropping off information, paperwork, billings, etc., we suggest you continue to use the drop box located at the front doors of Bevier Hall.

We are so excited to see everyone back in the office!

IDPH Health Advisory

Human Monkeypox Virus (MPV) Interim Guidance for Day Cares/Early Childhood 
Centers August 16, 2022 

MPV is a disease that can cause flu-like symptoms and a rash. Human-to-human transmission of MPV occurs by direct contact with lesions or infected body fluids, or from exposure to respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face close contact. A person is considered to be infectious until there is full healing of the rash with formation of a fresh layer of skin.

Strategies for Preventing MPV Transmission in Day Cares Day care staff should monitor for MPV among ill staff, volunteers and children, and implement the following strategies to  prevent transmission within day care and early childhood settings:

• Monitor staff, volunteers and children for the presence of new, unexplained vesicular or pustular lesions (other than neonatal acne), or any characteristic lesions on palms and instruct them to seek medical evaluation and return with a providers note. (Note: rashes are not uncommon in children due to a variety of causes: See IDPH School Health Listing of Communicable Diseases (illinois.gov.) If a staff member, volunteer or child has a chronic condition that causes rash/skin lesions (such as neonatal acne), it may be helpful to have a provider’s note in their health record.
• Contact your local health department immediately to discuss any suspect or confirmed MPV cases and discuss next steps.
• Encourage staff, volunteers and children to stay home if ill and maintain supportive sick leave protocols to encourage this. In addition to the rash, other symptoms of MPV include fever, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and respiratory symptoms (e.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough). These symptoms can appear one to four days before the onset of the rash.
• Ensure access to handwashing. Soap and water or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol should be available and encouraged/monitored, especially before eating and after using the restroom.
• Limit sharing of personal items. Do not share eating utensils or cups. Do not share bedding, towels, or clothing.
• Clean and disinfect: Clean surfaces at least once a day to reduce the risk of germs spreading by touching surfaces. Additionally, day care settings should follow standard procedures for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfection in their setting, such as after diapering, feeding, and exposure to bodily fluids. See Caring for Our Children. Standard sanitizing procedures are acceptable. Toys that are frequently put in mouths should be washed with soap and water rather than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed disinfectants.

Multiple Grant Opportunities

Child Care Resource Service (CCRS) applied for and received additional funding to promote the importance of early childhood learning, to expand the availability of early childhood programs, and to support families. We are now offering the following grants available to anyone living in Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Kankakee, Iroquois, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby, or Vermilion Counties. All grants are subject to funding; the applicant is responsible for all taxes.

Redesigned Classrooms Grants

Grants of up to $3,000 are available per classroom to increase infant/toddler/two-year-old spaces. Grants can be used to redesign a current classroom to care for infants/toddler/two-year-olds or to open a new classroom. Examples of eligible (non-exhaustive) expenses include: (federally approved) cribs and playpens, high chairs, child-sized tables and chairs, strollers, cots, mats, adult rocking chair, and activity rugs, etc.

Obtaining a CDA Grant

This grant is available to help cover the costs of obtaining a credential; it also includes a stipend for completing the credential of up to $500. Currently, CDA costs can be reimbursed up to 80% through a Professional Development Funds Grant. This additional grant will cover the remaining 20% and provide a completion stipend.

Refer a Friend

Any parent that refers another parent to CCAP who is subsequently approved will receive a gift basket valued at $25. It will include items such as children’s books, crayons, and puzzles.  To receive the gift basket, a note should be put on the new CCAP application to indicate that a referral was made and by whom. Example: Parent A tells Parent B about CCAP. As a result, Parent B submits a child care application. Parent B (the new applicant) needs to note on the application that Parent A referred them and include Parent A’s contact information.

For information or to apply for any of these grant opportunities, please contact Brenda Eastham at bkellis@illinois.edu.

New Training Requirements

Effective July 1, 2022, all license-exempt (not licensed by DCFS) non-relative child care providers who are approved to receive payments through the IDHS Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) must adhere to the training requirements listed below. 

Current providers must complete the training requirements before September 30, 2022, to receive payment for new families or continue to be paid for current families after their next redetermination. 
 
HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS 
License-exempt non-relative home providers, their assistants/substitutes and license-exempt center providers (including directors, teachers, aides, and staff with access to children) caring for children paid for through CCAP must meet the following requirements within 90 days of being approved for CCAP payments: 

• Become a Gateways to Opportunity Registry member and renew membership every year.  To become a Registry member visit: Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Registry (ilgateways.com).
• Complete Pediatric First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification by an approved training entity.
• Complete Department of Child & Family Services (DCFS) Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Mandated Reporter training.
• Complete Child Development, Health, and Safety Basics course or obtain ECE Credential Level 1 Training-Tier 1.
• Enter your completed trainings in the Gateways Registry and send a copy of your certificates and First Aid/CPR card to CCRS.

Early Childhood Construction Grant

The Illinois Early Childhood Construction Grant (ECCG) Program is a state-sponsored initiative to invest in quality early childhood education (ECE) facilities where they are most needed. The ECCG Program will award ECE providers $100 million in grants ($60 million in late fall 2022, and the remaining $40 million at a later date) to support the renovation, expansion, and construction of new facilities to serve more children ages 0-5. Any public school district or nonprofit that meets Illinois state standards for providing ECE services, including both nonprofit child care centers and group child care homes, are eligible to apply. For-profit ECE providers of any type and family child care homes are not eligible for these grants.

Providers can apply through the Early Childhood Grant Program – Grants (illinois.gov).  Applications are due by Monday, October 10, 2022. In the coming weeks, there will be additional information and resources, including an updated FAQ documents, to assist preparing an application for the IL ECCG Program. Additionally, IFF will host two information sessions that will walk through the application and provide tips and advice on how to prepare a strong application. Go to Early Childhood Grant Program – Grants (illinois.gov) to learn more and register for an upcoming information session.

Online Training Opportunities for Child Care Providers

For on-line training opportunities, remember the Gateways i-learning website is always available at: Gateways i-learning System (inccrra.org). These trainings are Gateways Registry-approved and cover a variety of child development and early childhood education topics. Trainings automatically appear on your Gateways Registry Professional Development Record (PDR), and they are FREE. Be sure to have your Gateways Registry online username and password to login.

Below is a listing of other free or low-cost on-line training opportunities that are available to all child care providers:

• COX Campus: Courses | Cox Campus
• Early Childhood Investigations Webinars: Early Childhood Webinars – Conference-Quality Professional Development
• edWeb.net: Upcoming Events – edWeb
• Penn State Extension — Better Kid Care: Better Kid Care — Penn State Extension (psu.edu)
• STARnet: STAR NET Northwest Region I & Central Region III – Illinois STAR NET provides a variety of opportunities for personal and professional growth for those who touch the lives of young children, ages birth through eight, with an emphasis on children with special needs. STARnet supports family-centered, researched and effective practices in early childhood education and care.
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas A&M AgriLife Learn | Courses, Publications, and Merchandise (tamu.edu)
• The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning – Early Childhood Professional Learning: Professional Learning | EC Learning IL

Please contact Jenny Garinger if you have any training questions or if you know of any other helpful online trainings at 217-333-7816 or garinger@illinois.edu.