See what local families and community members say they need for their children across the State
Family & Community Stories
Birth to Five Illinois has created a space for families and community members in every Illinois Region to share their experiences with local Early Childhood programs and services. Through stories about challenges and successes, we can identify the issues and work collectively to mend what is broken, while also celebrating what is working.
Region 20: What Families Say They Need
"Early Intervention services are extremely limited, because there are currently no professionals in some of our communities…"
Region 19: What Families Say They Need
"The system needs to adapt to the needs of families, and logistical barriers should not be a reason a child misses accessing needed services."
Region 13: What Families Say They Need
"Teachers have voiced that being understaffed and not having resources or supports causes them to take on a larger load, which causes more stress and is pushing people out of the industry."
Region 12: What Families Say They Need
"…we simply need more local, quality, and affordable access to everything every day — child care, medical resources, community programs, and so much more."
Region 1-B-D: What Families Say They Need
"Children with special needs are further at a disadvantage in receiving services in a preschool setting with the slot gap with the slot gap because of number of slots, splitting time between schools, and transportation issues."
Region 1-B-B: What Families Say They Need
"…information is vital to ensuring there is equity in the allocation of resources throughout the Region…"
Sitting, Waiting, and Wishing - By Jessica Wilson
Time has not been on our side. It feels like we are wasting the most crucial time of development in his life.
Path for Success – Ashely Morse
ECSE preschool is an important part of my son’s life and in my opinion, imperative to success in early education.
Is Anyone Really Out There to Help – By Sinah Gosnell
What we need most are people who will listen and tell us where to find services.
Early Childhood and Beyond - By Krystle Huelsmann
I want to know which programs are best for different diagnosis, what child care options support those with diagnoses, and how to navigate through the financial ends of each; those would be my top searches.
Early Intervention is Key! - By Ashley Scott
All I have is positivity for what these programs can do to help our children.
Our Early Intervention - By Alexis Leathers
They went above and beyond to make sure we were able to connect to community programs that would help our family financially.
Your Voice is Important - By Beth Ward
Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their clinical diagnosis.