Illinois Child Care Assistance Program

Did you lose your SNAP benefits because of the new federal SNAP work requirements?

The federal government made changes to SNAP and some customers lost benefits on May 1, 2026, if they weren’t meeting or exempt from new work requirements.

See if you can file an exemption: https://aberp.illinois.gov/screener/ABAWD?lang=EN

Customers can regain eligibility and meet the new work requirements by working, volunteering, or participating in a training or education program. Visit: SNAPWorkRequirements.illinois.gov

Home visiting provides family support and coaching through planned, regular visits with a trained professional based on a family’s needs and schedules.

Home visiting is a voluntary program, and home visitors work with parents on practical parenting skills as well as family bonding before birth and as children grow up.

Through partnering with the home visitors, families learn how to improve their family’s health and provide better opportunities for their children.

Learn more by visiting the link below.

What is Home Visitng – iGrow Additional videos addressing other aspects of the Illinois early childhood system including Head Start, the Child Care Assistance Program, Early Intervention, TANF and WIC, and Special Education can be viewed here.

The early childhood system is complex and fragmented because it is made of different programs and funding streams. Sometimes it may be hard to understand how to best serve children and young families in Illinois.

The Partner Plan Act shares videos to help parents, individuals, and organizations understand the programs part of the early childhood system.

Check it out!

Illinois Early Childhood System Overview | Partner Plan Act Illinois early childhood systems encompass over 70 community collaborations improving local services. Learn more about systems change across the state!

Teen parents enrolled full-time in elementary, high school, or GED classes are eligible for full-time, full-year child care eligibility, including summers, when using a licensed child care provider, up to and including a three-month period after graduation.

To read more on this policy, click the link below.
https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=10556