Illinois Announces up to $1,000 Bonus for Eligible Child Care Workers, Expansion of Child Care Assistance

Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Grace Hou have announced a package of child care recovery efforts that includes one-time bonuses for eligible child care workers and an expansion of child care assistance to cover unemployed parents seeking work.

The child care subsidy program will be expanded to allow unemployed parents to qualify for three months of child care, with the potential to have the benefits expanded for longer, depending on eligibility.

In addition, the state will give eligible child care workers in the state a one-time $1,000 bonus to address high turnover rates and ease staffing shortages. Through this program, staff at licensed and license-exempt child care centers and homes will be eligible to receive the bonuses as long as the centers meet certain health and safety requirements. The payments will be distributed to workers through their employers between October 2021 and March 2022.

Read more about these developments in Chalk Beat.