Cook County Illinois DCFS HELP!

[mmunchkins]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I really need some help and advice. I have been a childcare worker for almost 20 years, and I decided to start a home daycare to enable me to stay home with my son. I printed out the DCFS licensing guidelines and read the entire thing front to back and did not see any potential barriers to our daycare becoming licensed.

We own and live in a 3 flat (1st and 2nd floor apts, and a Garden apt), and our basement apartment lease was up Sept 1. I purchased everything to convert this space into a daycare, painted, put in furniture, have cameras to install, etc.

THEN, I sat down to begin the process for licensure and discovered the MAJOR hitch that I can't obtain a license because our basement is detached. To say I am stressed out is a major understatement. I did not see ANYTHING in the document that states I cannot operate a home daycare out of a detached basement.

Frankly, I am license exempt because of numbers, but now I'm concerned about possible penalties. Can I be fined if I continue to operate as license exempt in the detached basement? I have an LLC and plan to claim all income/pay taxes. I really thought I was doing this correctly.

What the heck should I do?! I feel totally screwed right now. I am so upset I could cry!

My other question is: If I legally changed my residence to unit G and for all intents and purposes made it look as though I live in that space, would I be at risk if DCFS found out I live in unit 2?

What constitutes living in that space? Sleeping there?

Ughhhhhhh!

Please help. Any and all advice is welcome.

[Controlled Chaos]

I have zero advice but that is annoying, I am sorry :hug: If you don't legally have to be licensed...I might skip it...

[mmunchkins]

Thank you, Contolled Chaos. I know licensure isn't necessary in my case, but I guess I'm wondering if I'm at risk because of the fact that I'm operating out of a separate unit in our building? Like, in the very unlikely event that someone reported me, would I be at risk of some type of penalty?

[mmunchkins]

I guess put another way, if you're license exempt, do you still have to follow certain rules? Would operation out of a separate unit be punishable in some fashion?

[sahm1225]

What do you mean detached basement?

The guidelines do say that you must live in the residence. You could probably ask the general licensing number if living in the same building is enough.

I think the only other way to go around it would be to get licensed as a business/center, but then you would have to Deal with zoning issued.

[LysesKids]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I really need some help and advice. I have been a childcare worker for almost 20 years, and I decided to start a home daycare to enable me to stay home with my son. I printed out the DCFS licensing guidelines and read the entire thing front to back and did not see any potential barriers to our daycare becoming licensed.

We own and live in a 3 flat (1st and 2nd floor apts, and a Garden apt), and our basement apartment lease was up Sept 1. I purchased everything to convert this space into a daycare, painted, put in furniture, have cameras to install, etc.

THEN, I sat down to begin the process for licensure and discovered the MAJOR hitch that I can't obtain a license because our basement is detached. To say I am stressed out is a major understatement. I did not see ANYTHING in the document that states I cannot operate a home daycare out of a detached basement.

Frankly, I am license exempt because of numbers, but now I'm concerned about possible penalties. Can I be fined if I continue to operate as license exempt in the detached basement? I have an LLC and plan to claim all income/pay taxes. I really thought I was doing this correctly.

What the heck should I do?! I feel totally screwed right now. I am so upset I could cry!

My other question is: If I legally changed my residence to unit G and for all intents and purposes made it look as though I live in that space, would I be at risk if DCFS found out I live in unit 2?

What constitutes living in that space? Sleeping there?

Ughhhhhhh!

Please help. Any and all advice is welcome.

An LLC won't help you really in the event you get sued for childcare & it's a ton more paperwork than what you will already have... and do you need the income that 4 or more kids can net you, or can 3 pay the bills? I ask because being license exempt, you can get registered to take vouchers, however You must legally live in the residence; like sleep, eat etc - you get caught & you may not ever have a chance at a license, much less vouchers in the future because you will be considered to have committed fraud if the state is involved in any way

[mmunchkins]

A detached basement is a separate unit from my apartment, but still part of the building.

[mmunchkins]

So if you were me, would you start eating and sleeping there then? I can totally do that if it will keep me from getting into trouble.

[mmunchkins]

3 kids are all I'm going to take. So I'm not going to be breaking the license exempt rule for #'s, but I was just wondering if I could still get in trouble as license exempt if I'm not living there.

[laundrymom]

Is it a stand alone apartment?
Then why would it be any different? If you have required amount of egress and exits. Why does it matter? I would call back. Talk to someone else. Have them give you the reg.

[mmunchkins]

It is a standalone apartment. It has all the required exits, etc. I am afraid to call because I don't want to ask for any trouble. My only guess is that it's different because it is like operating a center, which is ABSURD. If there was a door attaching my apartment to the basement, it would be fine. That's the only problem.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Is the basement detached, like in a totally separate building? I guess I have never heard of that, as basements in our area have a space above, so if it is connected to your aapartment building in any way, I wouldn't think it qualifies as detached. Again, totally may be misunderstanding. But, if you are license exempt, then I guess I don't see how it would be a problem.

Just saw your post about it being a stand alone apartment. Can you just make that space your mailing address? How are they gonna know if you live there or not and if you are not licensed, you have no inspections, so I kind of doubt you would get in trouble, but again, I am not sure and hopefully others here can offer better advice! Good luck and it will work out so don't freak out too much!

[mmunchkins]

No, it's in our building. I read in the orientation materials (not the actual DCFS licensing document) that "unattached basements in multi-unit buildings" are not allowed.

[Thriftylady]

I am thinking if you are legally unlicensed it wouldn't matter. I can't get licensed because I rent and don't have a fence so I am operating legally unlicensed. You can call and ask, you don't have to give your name.

[Blackcat31]

Is it a stand alone apartment?
Then why would it be any different? If you have required amount of egress and exits. Why does it matter? I would call back. Talk to someone else. Have them give you the reg.

It matters because technically she would be operating an in HOME family child care out of a residence-home no one lives in.....like I do. But it's allowed/acceptable in MN.

It seems a majority of states require the provider to actually live in the residence.