Section 225 ILCS 10/7.01 - [Effective 7/1/2026] Minimum standards for licensing; Department of Early Childhood(a) The Department of Early Childhood must prescribe and publish minimum standards for licensing that apply to day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes. The Department of Early Childhood shall seek the advice and assistance of persons representative of day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes in establishing such standards. The standards prescribed and published under this Act take effect as provided in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, and are restricted to rules pertaining to the following matters and to any rules required or permitted by any other Section of this Act: (1) The operation and conduct of the facility and responsibility it assumes for child care;(2) The character, suitability and qualifications of the applicant and other persons directly responsible for the care and welfare of children served. All child day care center licensees and employees who are required to report child abuse or neglect under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act shall be required to attend training on recognizing child abuse and neglect, as prescribed by Department of Early Childhood rules;(3) The general financial ability and competence of the applicant to provide necessary care for children and to maintain prescribed standards;(4) The number of individuals or staff required to ensure adequate supervision and care of the children received. The standards shall provide that each day care center, day care home, and group day care home shall have on its premises during its hours of operation at least one staff member certified in first aid, in the Heimlich maneuver and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the American Red Cross or other organization approved by rule of the Department of Early Childhood. The Department of Early Childhood may offer, or arrange for the offering, on a periodic basis in each community in this State in cooperation with the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or other appropriate organization, voluntary programs to train operators of day care homes in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation;(5) The appropriateness, safety, cleanliness, and general adequacy of the premises, including maintenance of adequate fire prevention and health standards conforming to State laws and municipal codes to provide for the physical comfort, care, and well-being of children received;(6) Provisions for food, clothing, educational opportunities, program, equipment and individual supplies to ensure the healthy physical, mental, and spiritual development of children served;(7) Provisions to safeguard the legal rights of children served;(8) Maintenance of records pertaining to the admission, progress, health, and discharge of children, including, for day care centers and day care homes, records indicating each child has been immunized as required by State regulations. The Department of Early Childhood shall require proof that children enrolled in a facility have been immunized against Haemophilus Influenzae B (HIB);(9) Filing of reports with the Department of Early Childhood;(10) Discipline of children;(11) Protection and fostering of the particular religious faith of the children served;(12) Provisions prohibiting firearms on day care center premises except in the possession of peace officers;(13) Provisions prohibiting handguns on day care home premises except in the possession of peace officers or other adults who must possess a handgun as a condition of employment and who reside on the premises of a day care home;(14) Provisions requiring that any firearm permitted on day care home premises, except handguns in the possession of peace officers, shall be kept in a disassembled state, without ammunition, in locked storage, inaccessible to children and that ammunition permitted on day care home premises shall be kept in locked storage separate from that of disassembled firearms, inaccessible to children;(15) Provisions requiring notification of parents or guardians enrolling children at a day care home of the presence in the day care home of any firearms and ammunition and of the arrangements for the separate, locked storage of such firearms and ammunition; and(16) Provisions requiring all licensed child care facility employees who care for newborns and infants to complete training every 3 years on the nature of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.All licensed day care home providers, licensed group day care home providers, and licensed day care center directors and classroom staff shall participate in at least one training that includes the topics of early childhood social emotional learning, infant and early childhood mental health, early childhood trauma, or adverse childhood experiences. Current licensed providers, directors, and classroom staff shall complete training and shall participate in training that includes the above topics at least once every 3 years.
(b) The Department of Early Childhood, in applying standards prescribed and published, as herein provided, shall offer consultation through employed staff or other qualified persons to assist applicants and licensees in meeting and maintaining minimum requirements for a license and to help them otherwise to achieve programs of excellence related to the care of children served. Such consultation shall include providing information concerning education and training in early childhood development to providers of day care home services. The Department of Early Childhood may provide or arrange for such education and training for those providers who request such assistance.(c) The Department of Early Childhood shall distribute copies of licensing standards to all licensees and applicants for a license. Each licensee or holder of a permit shall distribute copies of the appropriate licensing standards and any other information required by the Department of Early Childhood to child care facilities under its supervision. Each licensee or holder of a permit shall maintain appropriate documentation of the distribution of the standards. Such documentation shall be part of the records of the facility and subject to inspection by authorized representatives of the Department of Early Childhood.(d) The Department of Early Childhood shall prepare summaries of day care licensing standards. Each licensee or holder of a permit for a day care facility shall distribute a copy of the appropriate summary and any other information required by the Department of Early Childhood, to the legal guardian of each child cared for in that facility at the time when the child is enrolled or initially placed in the facility. The licensee or holder of a permit for a day care facility shall secure appropriate documentation of the distribution of the summary and brochure. Such documentation shall be a part of the records of the facility and subject to inspection by an authorized representative of the Department of Early Childhood.(e) The Department of Early Childhood shall distribute to each licensee and holder of a permit copies of the licensing or permit standards applicable to such person's facility. Each licensee or holder of a permit shall make available by posting at all times in a common or otherwise accessible area a complete and current set of licensing standards in order that all employees of the facility may have unrestricted access to such standards. All employees of the facility shall have reviewed the standards and any subsequent changes. Each licensee or holder of a permit shall maintain appropriate documentation of the current review of licensing standards by all employees. Such records shall be part of the records of the facility and subject to inspection by authorized representatives of the Department of Early Childhood.(f) Any standards involving physical examinations, immunization, or medical treatment shall include appropriate exemptions for children whose parents object thereto on the grounds that they conflict with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious organization, of which the parent is an adherent or member, and for children who should not be subjected to immunization for clinical reasons.(g) The Department of Early Childhood, in cooperation with the Department of Public Health, shall work to increase immunization awareness and participation among parents of children enrolled in day care centers and day care homes by publishing on the Department of Early Childhood's website information about the benefits of immunization against vaccine preventable diseases, including influenza and pertussis. The information for vaccine preventable diseases shall include the incidence and severity of the diseases, the availability of vaccines, and the importance of immunizing children and persons who frequently have close contact with children. The website content shall be reviewed annually in collaboration with the Department of Public Health to reflect the most current recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The Department of Early Childhood shall work with day care centers and day care homes licensed under this Act to ensure that the information is annually distributed to parents in August or September.(h) Any standard adopted by the Department of Early Childhood that requires an applicant for a license to operate a day care home to include a copy of a high school diploma or equivalent certificate with the person's application shall be deemed to be satisfied if the applicant includes a copy of a high school diploma or equivalent certificate or a copy of a degree from an accredited institution of higher education or vocational institution or equivalent certificate.Added by P.A. 103-0594,§ 95-10, eff. 7/1/2026.