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Upcoming Event! Join Us on Sept. 22
Child Care: Correcting Perception by Acknowledging Impact What would it look like for the supply of infant-toddler child care in Illinois to meet the critical demand of our state’s families? Last fall, a cross-divisional team from Start Early sought out to answer this question through research and, most importantly, directly engaging child care professionals across Illinois.
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The Infant & Toddler Child Care Roadmap , created as part of
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Raising Illinois’ Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda , explores various ways Illinois can better meet the needs of families with infants and toddlers through the lens of the state’s child care community.


Join Start Early and Raising Illinois on September 22 from 12 – 1 p.m. CT for a deep dive into one of the Roadmap’s most easy-to-address recommendations - to strengthen the perception and reputation of infant-toddler teachers and other professionals working with children under age 3.

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Policy experts, providers, parents and other leaders will share their experiences and guidance for how we can together empower and encourage those caring for and educating our youngest learners.
Este evento será traducido en espanol, para registrar en espanol oprima abajo!

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Check Out These Tools & Resources Available
COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Under 5 Now Available Children 6 months through age 4 are now eligible to receive either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, following authorization granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Public health officials are encouraging families to reach out to their pediatrician or family medical provider to see if appointments are available. Young children can also access the COVID-19 vaccine from county health department clinics, and children ages 3 and above can access the vaccine at participating pharmacies.
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Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccine appointment near you.


Still have questions about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for young children?
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Check out these resources, compiled by the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.







Learn More:
New Early Intervention Measures for Illinois Families! Several important new measures to improve Early Intervention (EI) services for Illinois families are now in effect, including:
- Extended Services. Children who turn 3-years-old between May 1 and August 31 and are eligible for school-based special education services now have the option to continue to receive EI services through the summer. If the child’s school is not able to provide evaluation and determine eligibility by the time the child turns 3, the child can still stay in EI over the summer.
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Please make sure to share this information with the families you serve.
- 30-Day Timeline to Receive EI Services. Children and families are entitled to receive all services in their Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) no later than 30 days after they consent to their plan. The state is required to inform parents in writing of the timeline itself and of any alternative service options available to their family until an EI provider is identified. While previously the timeline for when services must be initiated once an IFSP is developed was not included in the law, the procedural manual, or the family handbook, the 30-day timeline has now been written into state law.
- 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment.Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced a 3% reimbursement rate increase for all EI providers including service coordinators. This is only the second time in more than 10 years that EI providers have received a pay increase. We know that the earlier children receive EI services, the better the outcomes are for young children and their families, and that EI providers deserve adequate compensation for the important work they do! Please talk to the families in your networks about these rights and help them to ensure they receive all the services in their plans.







Use Your Voice!
New Opportunities for Family Engagement in the Early Learning CouncilThe Early Learning Council (ELC), a public-private partnership created by
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Public Act 93-380 , strengthens, coordinates and expands programs and services for children, birth to five, throughout Illinois. The ELC has new members, including family members, and the Council and its committees are convening again. With all the work underway to improve Illinois’ early childhood services and ensure that all families have equitable access, it is more important than ever to participate in Council committees and have your voice heard.
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Check out the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood website for a listing of all the Committees and their meeting dates. We look forward to seeing you there!



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Start Early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to close the opportunity gap.

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33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60603 - 312.922.3863


(c)2022 Start Early


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