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Illinois’ view of an early childhood learning system is comprehensive, including families; programs and services such as early care and education, early intervention and specialized services, social and emotional development, maternal and child health and nutrition, parenting and family support, community services such as libraries, parks and communities of faith; and the policies and resources affecting these programs and services. Illinois’ plan is based on the following elements of an early learning system: programs and services, financing and resources, quality, access, family and consumer participation, infrastructure and coordination, governance and leadership, and evaluation.

The lead grantee in Illinois is the Ounce of Prevention Fund, which has been involved since 1982 in program implementation, research, training, policy analysis and advocacy. The Birth to Five Project actively engages a diverse group of stakeholders and leaders in systems coordination and implementation. The Project’s Steering Committee serves as a clearinghouse for a variety of initiatives and task forces to share information, coordinate their work, and define which issues will be addressed at which tables.

Based on the completion of planning activities across a variety of domains, Illinois’ focus in 2006 is on implementation of system building efforts. The workplan encompasses eight goals:

• Enhance the quality and comprehensiveness of programs and services for children birth to five and their families.
• Expand programs and services for children birth to five and their families.
• Improve coordination between 0 – 5 programs and systems at the local and state levels.
• Develop a statewide training and workforce development system to meet the present and future needs of practitioners and programs to serve young children and their families.
• Identify and develop solutions to new and emerging 0 – 5 systems issues not being addressed elsewhere.
• Maintain public-private governance structures to provide leadership, accountability and coordination for 0 – 5 systems-building efforts.
• Serve as a clearinghouse of information about early learning in Illinois and systems development activities underway, and reach out to and mobilize key constituencies on behalf of early childhood issues.
• Actively participate in the multi-state Build Initiative.

Illinois’ most significant priorities in 2006 include securing new funding to expand early learning opportunities for all preschool-age children and at-risk infants and toddlers, facilitating systems work to enhance and coordinate programs and services, developing a mental health system for young children and their families, and establishing a workforce development system.