Local Joliet Legislators Meet with Families to Discuss Early Childhood Needs

July 14, 2026

Original coverage in SHAW LOCAL by Jessie Molloy.

State legislators Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, and Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, attended a recent community roundtable on childcare in an effort to help better understand and address challenges faced by young families.

The event was hosted by the Illinois chapter of Birth to Five, a group which works to ensure “equitable access to inclusive, high-quality early childhood services.”

The organization works with state and local agencies to help expand early intervention services and developmental screenings, and support employees in the early childhood workforce.

Attendees included residents and service providers who shared their experiences with lawmakers, including with access to affordable childcare, transportation, navigating public services, and barriers to mental health supports.

“It is critical that we continue to have open and honest conversations about how to support Illinois families,” said State Rep. Manley in a news release about the event.

“We can’t just tell parents to ‘wait and see,’ we have to be proactive and we have to be collaborative,” she said.

The round table was held just days after the state officially launched the Illinois Department of Early Childhood, the first agency focused entirely on providing early childhood programs and services.

The organization will jointly administer programs from the Department of Children and Family Services, the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development under one umbrella.