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Research Reports
Explore 20+ child care and early learning research reports published by our team.
Browse our research reports by topic:
Featured Report
Annual Report on Child Care in Cook County
Our annual report examines the state of child care for the year ending June 2022. In particular, we look at the effect of the pandemic on child care slots within Cook County regions, the affordability of care, and trends related to some of the hardest-to-find care – including infant care and care during non-traditional hours.
Featured Report
Expanding Illinois Child Care Assistance to Job and School Search: Experiences of Cook County Parents (2023)
Unemployed parents/guardians of young children in Illinois face a dilemma: they can’t look for a job without child care, but can’t afford child care without a job. Fortunately, in 2021, a temporary policy was put in place to assist parents/guardians with the cost of care while they look for work or enroll in school. The report assesses the impact of this policy on parents/guardians who received assistance.
Featured Report
Elevating Parent Voices: An Evaluation of the Family Advisory Committee of the Illinois Early Learning Council in Year Two (2023)
The Family Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Early Learning Council is Illinois’ first permanent advisory body of parents focusing on early childhood programming and policy. In 2022, we interviewed parent-members of the FAC and stakeholders who helped found the group in order to evaluate the successes and challenges of the group’s first two years and recommend actions for improving its role.
