IDEC Launching Community Systems Development Workgroup

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) is excited to launch the Community Systems Development Workgroup. Illinois has a number of local and regional intermediaries that play a critical role in supporting families and communities and connecting them to early childhood education and care services.

The purpose of the workgroup is to develop recommendations that strengthen how we support a coordinated early childhood education and care system that places families at the center. Our goal is a simpler, better and fairer early childhood system in Illinois, and we value continuous feedback and input as we work towards this vision.

The work group will focus on two priorities: aligning community systems development and advancing a no wrong door approach to intake and referral. Together, this work will allow communities to work more effectively across programs and systems, making it easier for families to find and connect with the services and supports they need.

At the heart of this work is the family experience. Families should not have to navigate multiple doors to find help. Regardless of where a family starts, they should feel welcomed, connected to the right resources, and supported along the way.

If you would like to express interest in workgroups, please complete the new Workgroup Interest Form! If you have any questions, please reach out to Questions.IDEC@illinois.gov.

We look forward to sharing more about the workgroup and its launch this fall, and to learning together how we can make the Illinois Early Childhood System work better for every family.