See what local families say they need for their children across the State
Family Stories
Birth to Five Illinois has created this welcoming space for parents and caregivers to share their family story of ECEC challenges and successes. It is our hope that as families share their stories, we will amplify the disparities in the system so we can work collectively and strategically to mend what is broken, while also celebrating what’s working.
If you have a story to share, please visit our submission page.
Region 44: What Families Say They Need
"We can't open the economy until we open the child care centers…"
Region 41: What Families Say They Need
"We need an intervention plan in place before children are identified with a disability."
Region 40: What Families Say They Need
"There is already a staff shortage… It is beginning to take its toll on me and how I interact with my students and families."
Region 39: What Families Say They Need
"We have a hard time recruiting qualified people to work in ECEC. We have to grow them into teachers…"
Region 33: What Families Say They Need
"There needs to be a better way to spread resources to families!"
Region 32: What Families Say They Need
"It's not easy to find information…the topics are too broad and the options too few."
Region 31: What Families Say They Need
"When you don't quality for help, there isn't anything out there for you. You have to be able to pay for it on your own…"
Region 28: What Families Say They Need
"…how well do up-and-coming district administrators with no Early Childhood background understand the unique needs of State Board of Education Preschool for All and Prevention Initiative programming?"
Region 26: What Families Say They Need
"We have to make compromises based on what resources are available."
Region 21: What Families Say They Need
"As a staff person from a child care center, the $1 copay (for staff that would quality for the Child Care Assistance Program) has allowed me to reenter the workforce in a profession that I love."
Region 20: What Families Say They Need
"Early Intervention services are extremely limited, because there are currently no professionals in some of our communities…"
Region 19: What Families Say They Need
"The system needs to adapt to the needs of families, and logistical barriers should not be a reason a child misses accessing needed services."
Region 17: What Families Say They Need
"Transportation is a big issue. A lot of programs in districts are half day and parents work full-time. What do parents do?"
Region 16: What Families Say They Need
"It's so hard to find good care for an affordable price that covers actual working hours for the average person… not just 9:00am – 5:00pm, but all shifts."
Region 13: What Families Say They Need
"Teachers have voiced that being understaffed and not having resources or supports causes them to take on a larger load, which causes more stress and is pushing people out of the industry."
Region 12: What Families Say They Need
"…we simply need more local, quality, and affordable access to everything every day — child care, medical resources, community programs, and so much more."
Region 11: What Families Say They Need
"…it got to the point where we were donating items for [the school] to use because they didn't have the resources to get those things…"
Region 4: What Families Say They Need
"Pay for Early Childhood staff and teachers is incredibly low. Truly, not a livable wage…"
Region 1-B-D: What Families Say They Need
"Children with special needs are further at a disadvantage in receiving services in a preschool setting with the slot gap with the slot gap because of number of slots, splitting time between schools, and transportation issues."
Region 1-B-C: What Families Say They Need
"I decided to stay out of work, because I was going to be working just to pay for child care."