Introduction
Many families depend on daycare centers to keep their children safe and happy while they’re at work. Illinois licenses daycare centers to ensure safety and quality. In this blog post, we’ll explain Illinois daycare licensing standards and what parents should look for when choosing a daycare or private school for your child. While CDBM is licensed as a daycare center by the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), we pride ourselves in being a private Montessori school which is open year round.
To ensure that centers meet state licensing requirements, first check with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
If you’re considering sending your child to school, there are several things you should know.
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- The center must be registered with the State Board of Education (SBE) and have an SBE license number.
- The center must have been inspected by SBE staff and found in compliance with all applicable SBE regulations.
- All employees working at the center must have completed a background check through the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)
- All employees must be properly certified in accordance with state and federal regulations
- The center must have a valid certificate of registration from DCFS
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Daycare Licensing Requirements in Illinois
Illinois has strict regulations on licensing. The state’s Office of Child Care Licensing regulates the daycare industry and determines which facilities qualify for a license. In order to be eligible for a license, you must have a valid license in another state, as well as meet all requirements set out by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
The DCFS has established a set of standards that daycare centers must meet in order to be licensed. The list of regulations can be reviewed at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/aboutus/notices/Documents/Rules_407.pdf
It is important to note that these standards can change over time, so it is important to check with your state’s licensing agency for updates and changes to the policy. CDBM has regular annual visits and an active license to operate for ages 8 weeks to age 6.
Tips for Choosing the Right Daycare Center
It’s important to find the best setting for your child, but it’s not always easy. Parents should take the time to find out about all of their options and tour many environments. They should go to the daycare centers in person to learn more about the atmosphere and the people who work there. Parents should also ask other parents who have used the center for recommendations. Once the parents have made a final decision, their next step is to “enroll your child.”
So how do you know which one is right? Here are some pointers from Casa Dei Bambini Montessori School:
1. Look for a school that offers a variety of activities. To expose your child to as many learning styles as possible, choose a school with a variety of activities. Our Infant/Toddler Community, also known as the nido/infant class provides these experiences for your child from 8 weeks to 14 months. From birth until age six are the formative years of life. During this time, everything your child experiences through their senses will establish the foundation for their entire life! The toddler classroom is composed of children between the ages of 15 and 35 months and offers a 3 or 5 day program, either half or full day. In this classroom, kids learn social skills, potty training, table manners, and self-feeding. We also prepare kids for basic language, math, sensory, practical life, art, and music ideas. The children in the primary/kindergarten schools range in age from three to six years old. We have half-day and full-day programs available five days a week. Our primary classrooms are broken up into five distinct subjects: language, mathematics, science, and the senses.
2. Find out what kind of environment the school has. Do they have a playground? Is there a place where children can play both inside and outside? Does it have classes where they can learn at their own pace? All of these things should be thought about when looking for a center. Casa Dei Bambini Montessori School has a state-of-the-art learning facility. Our goal is to give children in the Aurora and Naperville areas a personalized education and teach them in a safe and nurturing environment.
3. Talk with other parents who have children in the same age group as yours. This will help you get an idea of how active their children are and how much interaction they get with other kids their age.
Conclusion
As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your child is safe and healthy. You can do this by choosing a school that meets all of the requirements set forth by the state of Illinois. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to what you’re comfortable with.
Do you want to make sure your children are safe and well cared for? Then a licensed daycare is the way to go. You may want to consider checking out a daycare in Naperville that we know will suit your needs: Casa Dei Bambini Montessori School.
Our Montessori teachers are certified and trained to teach the children in our classrooms in a high-quality way. They work with each child at his or her own pace and tailor the curriculum to meet each child’s needs, while providing individual attention and fostering the child’s development through classroom guidance. We hire teachers from different backgrounds, which helps us celebrate the diversity of our students. Leadership has had a Montessori background for nearly 30 years and lends support to the teachers, students, and parents.
We look forward to building a long-term relationship with each new family that chooses Casa as their new school family.
