Section 376.20  Definitions

"Child" means any person under 18 years of age.  For purposes of admission to and residence in child care institutions, group homes, and maternity centers, the term also means any person under 21 years of age who is referred by a parent or guardian, including an agency having legal responsibility for the person pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  [225 ILCS 10/2.01]

"Child care institution" means a child care facility where more than 7 children are received and maintained for the purpose of providing them with care or training or both.  The term "child care institution" includes residential schools, primarily serving ambulatory children with disabilities, and those operating a full calendar year, but does not include:

any State-operated institution for child care established by legislative action;

any juvenile detention or shelter care home established and operated by any county or child protection district established under the "Child Protection Act";

any institution, home, place or facility operating under a license pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act (Intermediate Care Facilities for persons with Developmental Disabilities), or the MC/DD Act (Medically Complex facilities for persons with Developmental Disabilities);

any bona fide boarding school in which children are primarily taught branches of education corresponding to those taught in public schools, grades one through 12, or taught in public elementary schools, high schools or both elementary and high schools, and which operates on a regular academic school year basis; or

any facility licensed as a "group home" as defined in the Child Care Act of 1969.  [225 ILCS 10/2.06]

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.  [225 ILCS 10/2.02]

"Group home" means a child care facility which provides care for no more than 10 children placed by and under the supervision of a licensed child welfare agency with these homes being owned or rented, staffed, maintained and otherwise operated by the agency.  [225 ILCS 10/2.16]

"Maternity center" means a facility in which any person, agency or corporation, other than one licensed as a foster family home or group home under the Child Care Act of 1969, receives, treats or cares for one or more unwed pregnant girls under 18 years of age, except that the term does not include any facility licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act [210 ILCS 80].  [225 ILCS 10/2.07]

"Newspaper" means a newspaper as defined in the Notice by Publication Act [715 ILCS 5].

"Public Notice" means notification to the public in a newspaper of general publication in the county or municipality in which the applicant facility is located.

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 14512, effective October 28, 2025)