Children With Special Needs Are A Priority For B-N Woman On Department Of Early Childhood Transition Team

July 11, 2024

Original coverage in WGLT by Courtney Craft.

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Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed legislation creating a new Department of Early Childhood. It’s a single source for early childhood services and programs throughout the state of Illinois to improve accessibility for families and their children.

The department established a Transition Advisory Committee (TAC) composed of parents, stakeholders, providers, advocates, and experts to serve as an external advisory committee. Lakeesha James-Smith from Bloomington-Normal is a member of the TAC.

“We are creating spaces and bringing all these agencies together – Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and DCFS – and some of the work that we’re doing is to make early childhood simpler, better, and fairer for families,” she said.

As a parent herself, James-Smith has encountered many obstacles with the current early childhood system. She is also a member of the Birth to Five Illinois Action Council for Region 17, which includes McLean County. She feels strongly about using this new position to continue to advocate for change.

“My 6-year old, he is diagnosed with autism, and it has been very difficult to navigate the system and getting him services – and so knowing that those barriers continue to exist, it is imperative that I be a voice,” she said.

One of the current challenges is that families in rural areas are more likely to live in childcare deserts, forcing them to commute long distances to access services. Birth to Five Illinois’ Region 17 recently cited transportation barriers in rural areas in its new action plan.

“The new agency will provide a better coordinated system – and it will allow the state to be more equitable, serve high-need families, and make more efficient uses of state resources,” she said.

In addition, turnover rates among early childhood workers are increasing because after potential workers get teacher-qualified, they take their credentials and find jobs with higher salaries.

“There has been a scholarship created for college students to come into early childhood education. So they are working to try to get people into the field. Birth to Five Illinois is also addressing the amount that early childhood providers are being paid, to address the fact that they are not receiving a livable wage,” James-Smith said.

The Department of Early Childhood will officially launch in summer 2026. James-Smith said she agrees that accessible childcare is a basic need, and this department is one step closer to making that a more equitable reality.

“I am sharing my experiences of what it means to be a working mom, working full time with a child with special needs,” she said.