Section 50.210  Child Care

a)         To the extent resources permit, the Department shall provide child care services:

1)         to parents or other relatives who are working and are unable to supervise their children;

2)         to parents or other relatives who are participating in employment, training or education programs that are approved by the Department;

3)         to teen parents to enable them to obtain a high school degree or its equivalent, to provide time to find employment after graduation, and to provide a stable learning environment for their children; and

4)         to parents or other relatives who request a 3-month period to establish an eligible employment or education activity (allowed once every 12 months).

b)         In a two-parent household, both parents must be working, in an approved education and training activity, or taking steps to establish an eligible activity (see subsection (a)(4)) and unavailable to care for the children unless one of the parents is unable to care for the children for one of the following reasons:

1)         A physical or mental disability that limits the ability of the parent to provide adequate child care;

2)         Participation in an alcohol or drug abuse rehabilitation program;

3)         Military service away from home; or

4)         Participation in a Department approved program such as a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Employment and WorkActivity (see 89 Ill. Adm. Code 112.78) or Teen Parent Services (TPS).

c)         The applicant must furnish written documentation to verify the reason why the other parent, if living in the home, is unable to work and unable to provide care for the children that live in the home.

1)         To document the other parent's physical or mental health problem or participation in a rehabilitation program, the applicant shall submit written verification from the treating physician, psychiatrist, or other appropriate licensed health care practitioner that includes details of the nature and degree of the person's disability or impairment, the reason the condition prevents the individual from providing care, and the projected length of disability.

2)         To document military service away from home, the applicant must furnish a copy of the orders from the appropriate branch of the military that details the length and location of the assignment, as well as any money allowances for clothing and housing.

3)         To document participation in a Department approved program (see subsection (b)(4)), child care staff shall use Department computerized case information systems.  If participation in a Department approved program cannot be verified via the Department computerized case information systems, the applicant may be required to submit a copy of the Responsibility and Services Plan (RSP) (FORM 4003) or other relevant Department forms signed by the caseworker.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 17860, effective November 20, 2023)