4-C: Community Coordinated Child Care

List Your Child Care Program with 4-C

Girl on swing

Listing your program is free and easy!

Referrals to Your Program

Our Referral Specialists refer families to early childhood programs listed in the Child Care Resource and Referral database. Families are referred only to programs that meet their needs and preferences. Programs that are eligible to be listed are:

  • Centers and family child care homes licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services
  • Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.
  • Preschool For All programs funded by the Illinois State Board of Education.
  • License exempt centers and family child care homes.

To list a program we…

  • Complete an intake to obtain detailed information about the services offered.
  • Verify the DCFS licensing, if applicable.
  • Require license exempt child care homes and centers to complete a series of steps that includes training, CPR/ First Aid Certification, Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) clearances and relevant paperwork.

Information for Programs in our Referral Database

Once you’re listed in our database, our Recruitment and Retention Coordinator will contact you to schedule a Welcome Visit to bring you resources and talk to you about how we can support you. Other 4-C staff may also contact you to offer resources, information and support specific to your program needs.

We contact programs 1-2 times per year to ensure we have accurate, up to date information in our database. You can also contact us at any time to update your information. If you make any changes to your program such as rates, hours of operation, ages served, address or phone number changes etc. please contact us at the numbers listed below or email.

When referring families to programs, 4-C does not endorse or recommend any program or type of care over another. We provide referrals to families from many diverse backgrounds. Child care providers can expect calls from families reflecting many different family structures, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and economic levels. Sometimes we provide enhanced referrals to families and may contact programs asking about current openings.

Referrals are just one way providers can attract families to their programs. Our Recruitment and Retention Coordinators can help providers with free or low cost marketing ideas. Our Referral Specialists know what families are looking for in child care and can consult with providers about the services they offer. Sometimes small changes such as staying open a little longer or being open on the weekend can meet the needs of a greater number of families.

Please take some time to search our website to learn of all the programs and services available to you.  Visit the Illinois Department of Human Services Child Care Assistance Program website to learn more about serving families through the Child Care Assistance Program.

The policies summarized below apply to programs listed in our referral database.
Data Base Policy
The primary purpose of the database is to provide families with referrals. We do not provide information about child care programs to outside organizations and businesses for solicitation purposes
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Complaint Policy
The complaint policy gives families the opportunity to report concerns regarding a child care program listed in the CCR&R database.  Families are informed of the complaint policy during the referral process.

4-C cannot investigate child care programs. Once a complaint has been made to 4-C we determine the nature of the complaint. Complaints that may be licensing violations or suspected child abuse and neglect are referred to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for investigation. Pending the outcome of the investigation 4-C places the program in temporary “no-referral” status.  The provider is informed of the complaint within 10 business days. All complaints are documented. A complaint committee reviews all complaints.