Illinois child care assistance.

The program that helps Illinois families pay for child care, who can apply, how to apply, and how providers take part. Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The program in Illinois

WhatDetails
ProgramChild Care Assistance ProgramSource: Get Help Paying for Child Care, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Checked November 3, 2026.
Run byIllinois Department of Early ChildhoodSource: Child Care Assistance Program for Providers, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: who can apply

  • CCAP helps families pay for child care for children up to age 13 while they work or attend school.Source: Get Help Paying for Child Care, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Eligibility depends on family size and gross income.Source: Get Help Paying for Child Care, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: how to apply

For providers: how to take part

Questions about child care assistance in Illinois

What is the child care assistance program in Illinois called?

Child Care Assistance Program. It is run by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood.

Who can apply for child care assistance in Illinois?

CCAP helps families pay for child care for children up to age 13 while they work or attend school. Eligibility depends on family size and gross income.

How do families apply in Illinois?

Families apply online with the Digital CCAP Application, or can contact their local Child Care Resource and Referral agency for support. Official page: https://www.getchildcareil.org/

How does a child care provider take part in Illinois?

Child care programs must apply to be eligible to serve families who receive CCAP help. Providers must pass background checks and cannot have certain criminal convictions. Providers not related to all the children in their care must complete health, safety and child development trainings.

Sources

Every source is an official government page.

About this page

We read each source above on an official government site on November 3, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from.

If a fact is not here, we could not read it on an official page, so we left it out.

Programs change their rules, limits and forms. Confirm with the agency before you apply or enroll as a provider.

This page is a summary of public information. Bloomily does not run these programs or decide who qualifies.

More about child care in Illinois

Child care assistance in other states

Billing a family with a subsidy

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