- Programs
- For Providers & Educators
- Professional Development
- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Healthy Food Program
- Health and Safety Resources
- School Services & Consultations
- Infant Toddler Specialists
- Early Child Mental Health Services
- Quality Specialists
- For Communities
- For Parents & Families
- For Providers & Educators
- Advocacy & Policy
- Research
- Make an Impact
- About IAFC
Advocacy & Policy
Our work helps build strong families and powerful communities in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois.
Our Pledge to Equality and Justice
At Illinois Action for Children, We Advocate for Policies that Make a Difference
It is our experience and our belief that we can transform the lives of children by making sure the voices of families, educators and child care providers are heard at all levels of government.
- Prioritize equitable outcomes from Black, Latinx, low-income, and rural children and families.
- Support children by supporting their families.
- Ensure the system works for families and providers.
- Support and respect parent choice.
We Advocate for Child Care and Early Education in Illinois
For the next 10 years, we will work to enact changes to advance the following priorities:
Strengthen governance and funding to make care and early education equitable for all.
Structure the system to support early childhood teachers.
Create a better system of support for achieving program excellence across all provider types.
Expand family access and choice.
All Children, All Families Policy Guide
Download our All Children All Families guide to learn about our proactive and aggressive policy agenda for child care and early education in Illinois.
Get Involved to Transform the Lives of Children in Illinois
We elevate the voices and experiences of parents/guardians and providers.
To create an equitable and just child care and early education system, it’s critical for parent and provider voices and experiences to be heard and understood. That’s why we prioritize grassroots engagement along with policy expertise, independent research, and strategic partnerships in our advocacy. Through grassroots organizing, calls to action, events, research, and public testimony, together we shape the systems that impact them.
Become An Advocate
Discover how you can get involved in advocacy and policy efforts. Explore our work in advocacy and policy and learn how you can contribute to creating a brighter future for all children in Illinois.
Advocate Effectively— Know Your Legislators
To help you advocate effectively, we have compiled profiles that detail the current early childhood landscape in your district—available for every state representative and senator, and for your US senator and congressional representative as well.
Join the Right to Care Campaign
Fight for the well-being of Illinois’ youngest children! The Right To Care campaign is powered by We, the Village, a coalition of parents/guardians, educators, caregivers, providers, advocates, non-profit organizations, and others who have come together to ensure that all families can access the quality early education and care of their choosing.
The Maria Whelan Leadership Institute (MWLI)
Empowering Early Childhood Professionals to Ascend to New Heights
Illinois Action for Children created the Maria Whelan Leadership Institute to honor the life and legacy of its long-time leader, Maria Whelan. The MWLI offers a nine-month fellowship program offering comprehensive professional development, leadership and advocacy training, networking opportunities, mentorship, and more to early childhood providers.
eAdvocate Newsletter
Don’t miss opportunities to learn about the actions you can take to improve child care and early learning opportunities for all children and all families.