Illinois Action for Children Child Care 

Child Care Illinois Action for Children Procedures

Family Support Specialist/ Enrollment:

 During enrollment Family Support Specialist (FSS), asks if a parent will need childcare assistance. If so, the Family support specialist asks the parent for their two most recent pay stubs or school letter. Depending on what the family provides, FSS  can process Action for the children's application which it can take up to two days to submit. Sometimes a new family can come in having a childcare case approved already; instead of offering a new application, we submit a "C.O.P, " a change of provider form. The procedure for submitting this form is still the same as introducing a new application.

 If a parent just started a new job or school, FSS gives the parent a week to bring in their first check stub or letter. Suppose a parent fails to provide these documents. In that case, we let them know their child will remain in the Head Start Hours 8:30 -3:30 p.m.

Follow up with Action for children Pending Cases:

Once case/rede has been submitted to Action for children, FSS/Site Manager can follow up after 45 days of submission. FSS and Site Manager have inside contact with a specialist in Action for children who can give us statuses on cases submitted after 45 days. Action for children a specialist is contacted via email by the FSS /Site Manager. FSS is also responsible for checking the status of pending cases from our other childcare sites.

NOTE: we cannot check statuses on issues that have been pending less than 45 days after submission.

Redeterminations and Additional Request of Information:

 When families are up for redetermination, they're contacted 30 days before the due date.

FSS sends a letter reminding parents to submit their check stubs or school letter immediately. The parent also receives a phone call from FSS to keep reminding parents about their redetermination due date. If a parent fails to cooperate and the due date is approaching, the parent receives a half-day letter stating that their child can only attend the EHS/Head Start portion from 8:30-3:30 pm.

 When a case is pended for additional information request through Action for children, the parent has 30 days to submit the paperwork they're requesting. FSS follows up with the parent until the paperwork has been provided.  Suppose a parent fails to submit information during an EHS/HS hour 8:30-3:30 pm. A letter will also be sent out to parents by a Family support specialist.

 Cases Denied:

 If a claim gets denied by Action for children, the parent has 30 days to appeal the case and provide additional information if needed. If the parent and provider receive a second denial by action for children, this means the case was denied altogether. In some cases that were denied, FSS will be able to tell if the case can get approved soon by following up with the family.