We won for providers and parents

The 2013 child care contract campaign made historic gains for the home child care industry. Child care providers decided one of our top priorities for our last contract was winning change for working parents in addition to improvements for providers.

Together, with working parents, we:

• Won 2 new rate increases in 2014,
• Protected our healthcare and Quality Rating System (QRS) add-ons,
• Won preschool/Head Start and special needs add-ons,
• Won money for a union training fund, and
• Protected our union rights.

We also won a commitment from the State of $13.5 million over 18 months to lower co-pays for working parents in the Child Care Assistance Program.

On January 1, 2014, copay relief for Illinois working parents will go into effect. This victory will make a huge difference for working parents who have had to decide whether to put food on the table, gas in the car, or cover child care expenses.

“Winning copay relief for working parents is a huge victory for us all. I have peace of mind knowing that fewer working parents will be forced to choose between food on the table or covering their child care copay. We must keep fighting to win more help for working parents and a better investment in Illinois child care for providers and families.”

-Liliana Lopez, Child Care Provider, Cicero, IL