University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign

Child Care: Before and After School

Child care centers serve families and children from 6 weeks old up to 13 years of age.

child sliding at afterschool program

Source of definition: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Data available on IECAM

Latest data: FY2023 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023)

Number of sites

The number of child care centers or homes in a geographic area (for example, state or county)

Source of data: Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA)

Geographic region: These data are available by state, county, township, state House district, state Senate district, congressional district, ISBE region, IDHS region, municipality, elementary and unit school district, and Chicago Community Area.

The data are reported separately for three types of sites:

  • Licensed Child Care Centers (those whose status is “regulated/licensed” and whose center type is “Child Care Center,” “Before/After School Only,” “School Age Program,” “Park/Recreation only,” or “Preschool.”)
  • License-exempt Child Care Centers (those whose status is “exempt” and whose center type is “Child Care Center,” “Before/After School Only,” “School Age Program,” “Park/Recreation only,” or “Preschool.”)
  • Licensed Family Child Care Homes (those whose status is “regulated/licensed” and whose center type is “Family Child Care.”

Note: Centers or homes that served no children were not counted in the number of sites. Centers or homes that served “summer only” were not counted in the number of sites.

Licensed or reported capacity by session

Licensed or reported capacity across before/after school sessions

Source of data: Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA)

Geographic region: These data are available by state, county, township, state House district, state Senate district, congressional district, ISBE region, IDHS region, municipality, elementary and unit school district, and Chicago Community Area.

The data are reported separately for three types of sites:

  • Licensed Child Care Centers (those whose status is “regulated/licensed” and whose center type is “Child Care Center,” “Before/After School Only,” “School Age Program,” “Park/Recreation only,” or “Preschool.”)
  • License-exempt Child Care Centers (those whose status is “exempt” and whose center type is “Child Care Center,” “Before/After School Only,” “School Age Program,” “Park/Recreation only,” or “Preschool.”)
  • Licensed Family Child Care Homes (those whose status is “regulated/licensed” and whose center type is “Family Child Care.”

Note: Child care centers report capacity by individual sessions. The individual sessions included in this count are all sessions (e.g., Session 1, Session 2, Evening) except weekend.

Note: The age group included in these capacity data is: School Age 1 Group (B/A Only). This age group includes children age 6 through age 12.

Yearly differences in data definitions / descriptions

For past years, there are some differences in the data definition/description, compared with the most recent year. These are indicated here.

Geographic region: Data by some regions are not available for earlier years.

  • Data are not available by Chicago Community Area for 2011 and earlier.
  • Data are not available by ZCTA for 2009 and earlier.
  • Data are not available by school districts for 2008 and earlier.
  • Data are not available by municipality for 2007 and earlier.

Additional Resources