• About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Board of Directors
  • Intensive Placement Stabilization (IPS)
    • Service Coordination
    • Foster Parent Support
    • Tutoring and Mentoring
    • Therapy
    • Crisis Intervention Services
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Events
  • Resources
    • Mental Health & Wellness
    • Housing & Transition Services
    • Scholarships & Education Support
    • Legal Help & Rights in Foster Care
    • Peer Support & Mentorship Programs
    • LGBTQI+ Youth in Care
    • Kid Friendly (0-6)
    • Kid Friendly (6-12)
    • Crisis & Emergency Contacts
    • Foster Parent Training & Licensing
    • Caregiver Mental Health
    • Family Support Networks
    • Activities & Family Fun
    • Sensory Friendly Ideas
    • Foster Parent Legal Rights
  • Contact

Kid Friendly

Resources (0-6)

DCFS – Growing Minds: Early Childhood Program Growing Minds is an early childhood initiative from DCFS that supports the healthy development of children in the foster care system, from birth through age 5. This program helps foster parents and caregivers access developmental screenings, child care resources, and early learning supports to ensure every child has a strong start. Growing Minds works in partnership with caregivers to connect children to services that support social, emotional, and cognitive growth during these vital early years. https://dcfs.illinois.gov/brighter-futures/growing-minds.html
Dolly Parton Imagination Library
This is an early literacy program for children from birth until their 5th birthday. Every month, children enrolled in the program receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their homes, at no cost to their families. The first book your child will receive is "The Little Engine Who Could" and when they turn 5, they will receive "Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come." Currently, all children residing in Aurora, most of Kane County, and all of Kendall County between the ages of birth and five can enroll in the Imagination Library. https://www.foxvalleyunitedway.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library
DCFS - Daycare Provider LookupLooking for a daycare? You may search by provider name, city, county, or zip code. Results are provided for all currently-licensed day care facilities, based on your search parameters. https://sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/Content/Licensing/Daycare/ProviderLookup.aspx
Early Intervention Services for Children 0-3 Early intervention (EI) is a statewide program that provides supports and services for families to help their children under age 3 meet developmental milestones.https://dcfs.illinois.gov/brighter-futures/early-intervention-services.html
YouthCare – Managed Care Program for DCFS Youth YouthCare is a specialized healthcare program for children and youth involved in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). It provides coordinated medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services through a large network of providers. YouthCare also offers support programs like transportation to appointments, help finding doctors, and access to 24/7 nurse advice. This program is designed to ensure that youth in care receive the consistent, comprehensive health coverage they need. https://www.ilyouthcare.com/
Foster Care to Success (FC2S) Foster Care to Success is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit dedicated to helping youth in foster care achieve success through higher education and life skills development. They offer scholarships, mentoring, internships, and care packages for students who have aged out of the system. FC2S helps young people transition to independence with support, resources, and the tools they need to thrive in college, career, and life. https://www.fc2success.org/
Back to Resources
310 N Hammes Ave Suite 100 Joliet, IL 60435
cfs@cfsil.org
872-356-2004
© 2025 Center for Family Services. All rights reserved.

We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. By clicking Accept you consent to our use of cookies. Read about how we use cookies.

Your Cookie Settings

We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. Read about how we use cookies.

Cookie Categories
Essential

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our websites. You cannot refuse these cookies without impacting how our websites function. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings, as described under the heading "Managing cookies" in the Privacy and Cookies Policy.

Analytics

These cookies collect information that is used in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are.