Questions to Ask Before Enrolling Your Child in a Chicago Daycare

Choosing a daycare in Chicago is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child. Whether you are looking at a center near Lincoln Park, a home-based program in Logan Square, or a facility close to Millennium Park, every parent deserves to know what questions to ask before signing any enrollment paperwork. Illinois law gives parents real rights when it comes to daycare safety, and knowing those rights before your child walks through the door can make all the difference.

Table of Contents

• Is This Daycare Licensed and in Good Standing With Illinois DCFS?
• What Are the Staff-to-Child Ratios, and Are They Being Followed?
• Have All Staff Members Passed Background Checks and CPR Training?
• What Are the Safety Protocols for Emergencies, Injuries, and Illness?
• What Is the Daycare’s Complaint and Inspection History?
• FAQs About Questions to Ask Before Enrolling Your Child in a Chicago Daycare

Is This Daycare Licensed and in Good Standing With Illinois DCFS?

The first question you should ask any Chicago daycare is simple: are you licensed? The law commonly known as the Illinois Child Care Act of 1969 (225 ILCS 10/) regulates who is required to be licensed and who may qualify to be license-exempt. A license is not just a piece of paper on the wall. A license means the provider has met the State of Illinois standards for care in areas such as teacher-to-child ratio, educational qualifications, safety standards, capacity, and nutritional requirements. That is a lot of ground covered by one document, and you should confirm it is current.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is the agency responsible for licensing child care centers and family child care homes. You can verify a center’s license status directly through DCFS. Ask the director to show you their current license and ask when the last inspection was completed. Licensed programs also have annual visits from licensing representatives, so a facility that cannot tell you when their last inspection occurred is a red flag worth taking seriously.

Be aware that not every program operating in Chicago is required to hold a DCFS license. A center or home may be exempt from licensing from DCFS because of characteristics such as school-age only services, number of children in care, and school or religious affiliation. Since these settings are not licensed, they are not held to DCFS licensing standards, and they are not monitored by or held to DCFS health and safety standards. If you are considering a license-exempt program, ask specifically which agency, if any, provides oversight. A program with no oversight at all carries a higher risk for your child. If your child is injured at an unlicensed facility, the legal path to recovery can be more complicated, though it is not impossible. A Chicago personal injury lawyer can help you understand what options are available based on the specific type of facility involved.

What Are the Staff-to-Child Ratios, and Are They Being Followed?

Ratios matter more than most parents realize. Too many children per adult means less supervision, slower emergency response, and a higher chance of preventable injury. Under Section 407.190 of the Illinois Administrative Code, the group sizes and ratio of child care staff to children present at any one time are specifically defined by age group. These are not suggestions. They are legal requirements that licensed centers must follow every hour of every operating day.

Licensed child care centers must meet Illinois DCFS standards for health and safety, including child-to-staff ratios and required space per child. When you tour a facility, count the children in the room and count the adults. If the numbers do not match what the director tells you the ratio should be, that is a problem. Understaffing is one of the most common causes of daycare injuries in Illinois, and it is also one of the most preventable.

Ask the director what happens when a staff member calls in sick. Who covers the room? Does that substitute know the children and the daily routine? Under Section 407.190, the staff-to-child ratio and maximum group size are based on the age of the youngest child in the group, so if an infant is mixed into a toddler room, the infant ratio applies. That is a detail many parents never think to ask about, but it directly affects how much attention your child receives. Ratio violations are among the most common citations found in DCFS inspection records, and they directly connect to injuries ranging from falls from changing tables to choking incidents.

Have All Staff Members Passed Background Checks and CPR Training?

Every adult who has contact with your child should have a clean background check on file before they ever walk into a classroom. All staff members, from directors to assistants, must undergo comprehensive background checks before working at a daycare in Illinois. This includes FBI fingerprinting, a state criminal background check, and child abuse and neglect clearance through DCFS. Ask the director to confirm that every staff member, including substitutes and volunteers, has completed this process.

There is an important gap in the rules worth knowing about. An employee may begin work while awaiting the results of the background check, but such employees shall not be left alone with children until the results of the initial check are received. That means a brand-new hire could be in the building before their clearance comes back. Ask the center how they handle this period and what supervision protocols are in place for new employees.

Beyond background checks, ask about CPR certification. CPR certification must be specific for all age groups served, including infant (birth to 12 months), child (one to eight years), and adult. A staff member certified only for adult CPR is not fully prepared to respond to a choking infant or a toddler in cardiac distress. Staff must be trained in CPR and first aid, and records of immunizations for staff and children must be kept up to date. Ask to see documentation, not just a verbal confirmation. A daycare that takes safety seriously will have those records organized and available.

What Are the Safety Protocols for Emergencies, Injuries, and Illness?

Before you enroll your child, ask the daycare to walk you through exactly what happens when a child gets hurt. Who calls you? How quickly? What is the procedure if a child stops breathing, has a severe allergic reaction, or swallows something dangerous? These are not hypothetical questions. Injuries at Chicago daycares, including head injuries, choking incidents, and allergic reactions, happen more often than most parents expect, and how a facility responds in the first minutes can determine the outcome.

Ask whether the facility has a written emergency plan and when it was last updated. Ask about evacuation procedures, including whether staff know the routes out of the building, and whether the center conducts regular drills. Illinois law requires licensed daycares to maintain health and safety standards that include fire safety measures. If a director seems vague or defensive about these questions, that tells you something important.

Also ask how the center handles medication. If your child has a known allergy or a medical condition that requires medication during the day, find out whether staff are trained to administer it. Failure to follow individual care plans and failure to administer emergency medication are real risks at underprepared facilities. If you believe a daycare is violating state licensing standards, you may make a complaint to the local DCFS Licensing Office or by calling the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-2873, and a DCFS licensing representative will investigate your complaint and report results back to you. You do not have to wait until something goes wrong to make that call.

What Is the Daycare’s Complaint and Inspection History?

Illinois parents have the right to review a daycare’s inspection history before enrolling their child. DCFS conducts periodic inspections of licensed facilities and records any violations or citations found during those visits. A single minor citation is not automatically disqualifying, but a pattern of violations, especially ones involving staff ratios, supervision failures, or physical safety hazards, tells you how a facility actually operates when no one is watching.

Ask the director directly: have you had any citations in the past two years? What were they for, and how were they corrected? A transparent director will answer without hesitation. One who deflects or minimizes the question is worth a second look. You can also request inspection records directly from DCFS. These are public documents, and reviewing them before you sign an enrollment contract is one of the smartest things you can do as a parent.

Pay attention to the physical space when you tour. Facilities near busy streets like North Michigan Avenue or in older Wicker Park buildings may have specific hazards related to building age, including lead paint or inadequate security. Illinois DCFS Rules 407 specifically references the impact of lead exposure as a factor daycares must address. Ask whether the building has been tested for lead and whether the results are available. Ask about security, including who controls access to the building and how the facility prevents unauthorized adults from picking up children. These questions may feel uncomfortable to ask, but any reputable daycare director will welcome them. If your child is later injured because of a condition you could have identified during a tour, that knowledge is painful to carry. The team at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, located at 351 W. Hubbard Street, Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60654, handles daycare injury cases throughout the Chicago area and can be reached at (312) 222-0010 for a free consultation.

FAQs About Questions to Ask Before Enrolling Your Child in a Chicago Daycare

Can I visit a Chicago daycare unannounced before enrolling my child?

Yes. Most reputable daycares welcome parent visits, including unannounced drop-ins during operating hours. In fact, an unexpected visit gives you a more accurate picture of the facility’s daily environment than a scheduled tour. If a director refuses or strongly discourages unannounced visits, that is a warning sign worth taking seriously before you commit to enrollment.

What should I do if my child is injured at a Chicago daycare?

Seek medical attention for your child right away, even if the injury appears minor. Document everything, including photos of any visible injuries, a written account of what the daycare told you happened, and the names of any staff members present. Request a copy of the daycare’s incident report. Report serious injuries or suspected neglect to DCFS at 1-800-252-2873. Then contact an attorney to understand your legal options, because Illinois has time limits on filing injury claims involving minors.

Does signing an enrollment contract or liability waiver mean I cannot sue a Chicago daycare?

Not necessarily. In Illinois, liability waivers do not automatically shield a daycare from responsibility for negligence. Courts look at whether the waiver was enforceable, whether the injury resulted from gross negligence, and other factors specific to the situation. An attorney can review any paperwork you signed and advise you on whether a claim is still viable. Do not assume a waiver eliminates your rights without getting a legal opinion first.

What laws govern how Chicago daycares must handle children with food allergies?

Licensed daycares in Illinois are required to follow individual care plans for children with known medical conditions, including food allergies. Under DCFS Rules 407, facilities must have protocols for allergy management and emergency response. If a daycare fails to follow an established allergy protocol and a child suffers an anaphylactic reaction as a result, that failure can form the basis of a negligence claim. Ask any prospective daycare to show you their written allergy policy before enrollment.

How do I find out if a Chicago daycare has had its license suspended or revoked?

You can contact the Illinois DCFS Licensing Office directly or use the DCFS online resources to check a facility’s current license status. You can also call the DCFS Provider Information Line at 1-877-746-0829. Inspection reports and complaint histories are public records. If a daycare’s license has been suspended or revoked in the past, that history is relevant to your enrollment decision and may also be relevant in a personal injury claim if your child is later harmed at that facility.

More Resources About Safety, Prevention, and Parent Guidance

• How to Choose a Safe Daycare in Chicago
• Red Flags of an Unsafe Chicago Daycare
• How to Read and Interpret Illinois Daycare Inspection Reports
• Signs Your Child Is Being Abused or Neglected at Daycare
• Behavioral Changes That Indicate Daycare Abuse
• Physical Signs of Abuse in Young Children
• What to Do Immediately After Your Child Is Injured at Daycare
• How to Document a Chicago Daycare Injury
• Photographing Injuries and Preserving Medical Records
• How to Talk to Your Child About a Daycare Injury
• How to Check a Chicago Daycare’s Complaint and Inspection History
• Understanding Your Rights as a Parent Under Illinois Law