Financially Secure Families
Improving the Economic Health of Families Will Have a Direct and Profound Impact on Illinois’ Infants and Toddlers
Research is clear that poverty is the single greatest threat to children’s well-being. Unfortunately, poverty disproportionately impacts families with young children. Parents of infants and toddlers face countless barriers when accessing income supports, employment policies that are compatible with parenting (such as paid family and medical leave) and affordable child care programs.
Recommended Strategies
The objectives below provide tangible and achievable steps that policymakers in Illinois can take to improve the economic health, well-being and success of the state’s infants and toddlers and their families.
Income Supports for Families
Alleviate financial constraints of families by simplifying access to income support programs through policy change, investment and collaboration.
Family-friendly Work Policies
Cohesion between families with infants and toddlers and employers can improve the physical and economic health of those families and their communities.
News & Resources
Prenatal-to-Three Priorities Survey 2025
March 21, 2025 Prenatal-to-Three Priorities Survey 2025 Share your thoughts on what is most important for Illinois’s youngest! For the last five years, our coalition has been guided by the Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda. As we look…
Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2025
March 10, 2025 Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2025 On March 4, Raising Illinois along with our partners at Child Care For All, COFI, Evanston Early Childhood Council, Illinois Action for Children, SEIU, Start Early and We,…
Advocates Call For $60 Million Increase to Illinois’ Early Intervention Program in the Final FY26 State Budget
February 21, 2025 Advocates Call For $60 Million Increase to Illinois’ Early Intervention Program in the Final FY26 State Budget Start Early Policy Specialist Zareen Kamal responds to the lack of substantial increases in Early Intervention…