‘We’re at the Mercy of Child Care:’ Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois’ Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands

While the state infuses hundreds of millions of dollars a year into child care programs, the strict eligibility requirements and limitations for its largest child care subsidy exclude tens of thousands of families.

by Madison Hopkins and Meredith Newman May 27, 2025June 9, 2025

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‘We’re at the Mercy of Child Care:’ Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois’ Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands

by Madison Hopkins and Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project
May 27, 2025

<h1>‘We’re at the Mercy of Child Care:’ Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois’ Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands</h1>
<p class="byline">by Madison Hopkins and Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project <br />May 27, 2025</p>
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Tagged: Child Care, Child Care Providers, Cook County, IDHS, Illinois, Illinois Department of Human Services, Investigating Responses, Making it in Chicago, Pritzker, solutions, State Investigations Team, Subsidies

Madison HopkinsSenior Investigative Reporter

Madison Hopkins is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist with the Illinois Answers Project, the nonprofit newsroom arm of the Better Government Association. Her past work includes reporting for The Kansas City Beacon and ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. Hopkins holds degrees from San Diego State University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

More by Madison Hopkins

Meredith Newman

mnewman@bettergov.org

Meredith Newman is an embedded investigative reporter with the Illinois Answers Project. Before joining the newsroom, she worked at The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and is originally from Evanston, Illinois.

More by Meredith Newman