Canty Leads Effort to Streamline and Clarify Childcare Licensing Standards

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — As another step forward for families in Illinois, state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, is streamlining and clarifying educational standards for getting a childcare license.

“Illinois is facing a shortage of qualified childcare providers right now, and it’s vital we remove roadblocks preventing people interested in that field from getting their licenses,” Canty said. “By streamlining and clarifying the educational requirements needed for accreditation, we can expand this invaluable workforce and create much-needed parity.”

Building on past progress advancing the cause of childcare in Illinois, Canty was the House sponsor of House Bill 3446, which Amends the Child Care Act of 1969 in two major ways: higher education coursework related to psychology must count toward required semester hours, and the Department of Children and Family Services is required to publish on its website a list of all courses that qualify towards a license in the field.

These steps will simplify the education process for Illinois childcare teachers, creating a more straightforward path to the license while helping to meet Illinois’ growing need for providers. The legislation received unanimous bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and got the backing of a wide range of child and family advocacy organizations.

“Since day one, I have been fighting for comprehensive improvements to Illinois’ family assistance policies and programs,” Canty said. “I’ve been proud to take the lead building up our groundbreaking Department of Early Childhood. However, despite many improvements, one problem still facing our childcare system is a lack of providers. This measure is an affordable, commonsense step towards filling that need.”