Pike County Task Force Seeks Solutions to Child Care Shortage

August 7, 2026

Original coverage in Jacksonville Journal Courier by Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree.

A Pike County group has formed to find solutions to the decreasing number of child care providers and lack of stable child care options for families in the county.

Pike County Child Care Task Force is a collaborative of early childhood professionals, child care providers, government officials, business owners and others trying to raise awareness of the impact of declining child care, not just for working families but also for businesses and organizations.

The organization has been active just more than a year and came about after the closing of Illini Child Care Center in Pittsfield, task force coordinator April Darringer said.

"When the center closed, and even before they closed, we didn't have enough slots for child care," Darringer said. "We saw a lot of families struggling to find child care."

Pike County now has 14 licensed child care providers and one license-exempt provider. There are no centers.

While Pike County has a Head Start program, it is limited to specific qualified families and does not address the need for more care providers, Darringer said.

The group started through Birth to Five Illinois, which requested that a group form to examine the issues and what communities could do to address the need.

So far, the group has been focusing on awareness, Darringer said.

"We are trying to bring awareness that child care is not just an issue for families," Darringer said. "It is an issue for communities, employers. I can't say we are making great strides at the moment. Our first step has to be awareness."

Because the collaborative has a vast array of organizations represented, members are able to see the issue from different angles and work to find solutions at the individual, business and community levels, Darringer said.

In addition to raising awareness about the growing lack of child care, the group is working to support current providers so they can continue providing the service, Darringer said.

The group also is providing information to those considering becoming a child care provider, connecting them with resources and information on how to get established.

One effort is letting them know about incentives, such as Pittsfield’s incentive for new businesses.

They also are looking at helping with items needed by providers, such as cots and other supplies used to provide care, and are putting together starter kits for those interested in becoming child care providers. The kits would include items such as a fire extinguisher, smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm, all of which are required in any care center, Darringer said.

"We are trying to do a lot of background work and I'm hoping we'll start seeing some expansion and growth soon," Darringer said.