The communication from your office is dreadful. Everyone that I spoke to sounded like they didn’t care much about what I was saying and just advised me to call back. Horrible customer service! Even when you ask to speak to a supervisor they don’t pass you through to one. The turn around time for this is horrible and the department lacks communication. If you call in be prepared to wait for a long period of time then be disconnected. Yesterday I scheduled an appointment and never got a call. Hopefully someone from their office reads this.

Every time I call in to speak with someone it’s a 20 minute wait. I wait on hold for 20 minutes and someone picks up and hang up. This has happened to me each time I’ve called in 2021. Professional Training is needed for this place on so many levels. This organization has been in business way too long to still be operating as they do. There needs to be a major change.

I can not believe a company trusted with such a responsibly could be so negligent. I have been waiting for 3 months for an update to my sons file, I had to push my sons start date at school back 3 times and if I dont get an answer by 28th, my son will be rejected from school and I may have to take off work to care for him. I cant believe the incompetence of this business. I know those that work there or (are barely working) are mothers and fathers and or have families to care for, the lack of empathy to accommodate the community in which they serve, is all telling that this business should be shut down and reported to the state for misuse of funding.

I understand al of this covid-19 has impact everyone in such a difficult way, I have been trying to call this location to do a change of provider. The daycare my children have been going is so messed up they have all of the big kids mixed with the younger one and my son has been getting bullied by the big kids. I have talked to the director of the location but nothing has been done, all they have done is giving me small issues my son has done. On August 19th my. mother called me at work saying that my son had left the building just to follow a teacher to the park, he crossed the street on his on risking to get hit by a car or taken by someone. my oldest daughter was accused of something she did not do and was crying right in front of the teacher and the student at accused her. and still didnt punish the other child, they just let it slide like nothing happened. maybe a day ago or so that the teacher grabbed her by the arm and squeeze it too card that there were read nail marks. my youngest daughter (9months) was going there as well but I stopped taking her because her section was right a cross from the kitchen. for me that is something to be concerned about. no child should be inform of a kitchen especially if they have to cook. what if it exploded or something. I just need to get this nightmare outta my hair or have something done about it. I need someone to contact me ASAP PLLEEEAAASSSSEEEEE!!!!!!!

This place is a joke I do understand that cause of the covid 19 things have been closed but I have had a client since February 19 2020 did all my paperwork turn it in on time in the drop box and havent heard one thing from these people I call every day never get a answer text them every day never get a response back. Im on the verge of just closing and just calling it a lost and a waste of time.

I did my redetermination back 12/13/2019 came in person and did it with a social worker two month after I received the approval letter for one year. On may 2020 my daycare start asking me for money from January till now with a total more than $10000 because they didnt receive the approval letter from them, I reach out to them through email and text I get a responded after a week saying they never received my application. I just dont get it if I come in person and I got the letter which unfortunately I never kept it and I spoke to a representative back in January after I received the letter she also confirm my approval letter. And now I tried to get a hold of someone and I cant I have to submit another renew with no respond, and I dont know how to pay for all of these month. It just no one care because someone didnt care about other and throwing application a way

It is a public service office for Child care don’t expect long waits and lines, The staff named CLAIRE was very friendly and the super proactive who handled my case work was professional and knowledgeable, and super helpful. If you need help, here is a good place to start your child care benefits. God Bless you CLAIRE I will keep you in my prayers and pray for you prosperous long life with good health AMEEN!!! From Farah

Cant get an answer I stay on the phone for an hour then they hang up is there another way to contact them its been 2 months my daycare has not got paid

Be prepared to call more than once. They hang up on you. All lines are always static and unclear.

We have been in a battle with action for children now for over a year. Every time we go they say they have everything they need and a week later we get a letter asking for more information. We have gone to the office five times without any results. I believe their non profit status should be revoked and the contract given to a more competent organization. The individual workers are fine but the organization seems to only be interested in taking tax money from the state and using it to profit and not help children. If I had to use one word to describe action for children it would be criminal!

Always losing the paper work. Wasting time and money of the client. You have to miss work to get help for child care. Why have a program that is not serving its purpose? Children have to be with care givers or family members who watch them reluctantly, because papers people are constantly lost or not turn in it is terrible !!

I thought I was the only person having customer service issues with this office but after reading all of these reviews it seems I’m not the only one. Why are these employees able to be so rude, so disrespectful, and not care about the parents and their case is beyond me. I’ve experience everything everyone else is experiencing and it seems to be no point to speak with a supervisor because obviously the supervisor either doesn’t care or is also part of the problem. My case has been pending for the longest and every time I ask question as to why because you have everything and I can’t afford for my child to bounce around and I need your help and assistance then I’m given an attitude. Everyone can’t be wrong about the same thing about this office, maybe someone to contact springfield, because this is ridiculous!

I think its awesome that we are able to get assistance with the cost of daycare. Alot of other countries dont have anything like this. I am so grateful. Praise God ♡

I switched care providers in Feb. I began to go to school and my provider thought that her payments would come since we had filled out all of the information properly. Its now JUNE and she has NOT received one payment! Weve went up to all 3 locations SAT FOR COUNTLESS HOURS, called every phone number known to man that had anything to do with them! In early June we finally thought we hit a break through.. we received her certificates via walk in (after walking in 100 times) We mailed them off. 3 weeks later STILL NO CHECKS FOR MY PROVIDER! I call them today and the lady says OH THE PROBLEM IS ON OUR PART.. WE MESSED UP YOUR PROVIDERS W-9 FORM AND SHE WILL HAVE TO SEND ANOTHER ONE! JESUS CHRIST! So youre telling me after 4 months of her watching my child and us asking where is her payments NOW YOU SAY WHATS WRONG! For those of us who arent cheating the system and are young mothers with NO help, just trying to finish college and work, THIS IS HORRIBLE. Its not rocket science! if you dont want to do your job properly DONT DO IT AT ALL. Good day

This is the worst place to work at. It is full of drama and co workers and your supervisor discriminating people with disabilities. Illinois Action for Children just recently lost a law suit due to discrimination and was ordered to pay 60k to the plaintiff. It has not changed what so ever and it seems they are not going to fix the issue. Find another company to work for that has a better pay. Typical day at work is laid back, repetitive, and most of the time you are doing nothing but seating till you clock out.

Been dealing with Action for Children for years never had an issue till 1/4/19 when Consuelo received my check stubs and called me to let me know that my stubs where invalid, that they couldnt take them with an attitude...... after I told her to let me speak to a supervisor she had the nerve to hang up on me. Never have I had someone so unprofessional answer me or deal with my case.... which is so important to me, since I depend on it 100%, I called back and waited for another representative to take care of me and she was helpful.... she was able to tell me that my check stubs were received halfway through fax, and that they needed consecutive pay stubs, since ai had just taken a vacation to still send that stub off to them..... But CONSUELO, if she has a bad day or attitude problem, then girl that is not the Job for you..... someone else would be delighted to do your job with a smile/ good attitude.

Let people know you as

Ive always had polite workers helping me with my case and especially with what they deal with on a daily basis Im surprised they are so nice and still have respect for the human race. God bless them.

Grateful for everything AFC has done for me. Yes, the paperwork is tedious, the wait times are long in the office and on the phone and the office locations can be cumbersome to get to, but they are providing a service and for their help with the financial burden of daycare it is all worth it. If someone feels it is not, perhaps they do not truly need the service and should free up the funds for another family who does.

Terrible place. I faxed my papers. They lost them. Dropped them off at the drop box. They lost them again!!!! And then they want to have an attitude. If they dont like their jobs they should quit and get something they like doing!

They really dont deserve this 1 star. They never answer the phone lines. I have been patiently waiting for over 5 months. They could at least send out a letter, or even have someone making calls to those who have been waiting. I understand its government funded but why is this state always making it seem so hard to help out the people in need? When other states dont give such a hard. Im just saying contact us and give us an status of our case since we cant call to get a status.

Thanks Stefani for all your help u really saved my life With getting this process done after waiting long long time to be done.You are so professional, so so so helpful & all the people who works are so nice too but I mentioned you by name because you deserve God bless youThanks for Il action for children

Please try to understand Its hard to answer to many question,we are short of time,short personal ,we try our best. Thats is what Im think about people who work there.

Some times they are on their stuff other times they are so off and behind the place need to better on system

I love Illinois action for Children, they are always very helpful at the Damen location. Ive read so many bad reviews from people who seem to want the world. They are just like any other government funded agency, just be patient.

Action for children can be a pain in the butt, but you need to make you copies and have all your stuff together. I have never had trouble getting through but you have to call during their business hours, when they are on the phone I always at the very least fax a copy of my paperwork and mail a copy of my paper work. then i wait about a week to call and make sure they received the paperwork then I call back every few days to see if it has been approved yet. its a process but if you need help with child care assistance, you gotta do what you got to do and be proactive. these people are overloaded with case work trying there best to get your kid in today care that you, yourself cant really afford, give them a break. everyone who works there who i have ever talked to has always been friendly and helpful. with that being said they dont mess around make sure you fill out all your forms completely and follow the directions. it can take a few weeks to get approved so dont expect it to happen over night because youre not the only person who is applying and your not the most important, its first come first serve. I deeply appreciate this program because without it as a single mom, i dont know how i would be able to work and provide for my family. without this program day care would be impossibly expensive for me. I am glad it is there!

Action for children is extremely helpful. But the ppl that work there suck!!! Always make me miss work to go back for the same thing. Happened 3 times already. Why cant they just get the job done right so we wont have to go back. They made me go back when I didnt have to!

This place could use a lot of help. I understand budget cut and too many caseloads, but the attitudes that some of these employees have could be adjusted. After all they a performing a customer service whether they know it or not. A few times my paperwork has been missed place but some how a caseworker usually finds it. Then it was one time when a representative called me because some of my paperwork was missing and they need me to fax in copies that I had made (rule of thumb when dealing with this place ALWAYS make copies of everything) and the rep ended up losing those. Well I have to make a trip down there tomorrow because my paperwork that I turned in in June has been misplaced, big surprised. Ill be bring my copies, a fully charged phone for the wait and some snacks because I know its going to be all day.

First and foremost Jose from Illinois action for children is such a rude and inconsistent representative for this company. I received a call to update information on my case, and he came off very snarky. I asked him if he could provide assistance with places that will help me with childcare until I can return back to work and he replied by saying it was not his responsibility or job to give me this information, I got very upset and asked to speak to a supervisor, in which he laughed in my face and hung up. I am appalled and disgusted, this is your job to help people.

Just like every other mom. Whenever I call the line is busy, or no one answers. It is disappointing, they use to answer right away. Even going there is one heck of a hassleThe staff is nice at times. I wouldnt blame their stress with all that paperwork. But still they should have branches in neighborhoods so parents and caregivers wouldnt have to travel so far!

The best agency for applying subsidy childcare assistance in Cook county, Illinois.

If you plan to call this company, be prepared to be on hold for over an hour. Worse customer service to deal with.

Does anyone know if theres a delay in returning redeterminations? I did mine a month ago and havent gotten anything back. Ive been calling all day, but the wait time is so long no one answers.

Like everyone said.when you call the phone rings and then suddenly becomes busy. Does anyone know if the Human services office on st Louis in Skokie handles childcare cases too? Please

I strongly feel that these kind of centers should be open way longer then 7 hours!!! This is in regards to childern so why do they get all these days off and when they do come to work only work a few hours a day?! It makes no sense. Working parents sometimes dont get off until 4 or after and it is not fair. I am an angry mother and I feel that issue should be taken care of asap. The process takes a little long as well but my main issue right now are the hours of the organization. However, Im sure my statement wont even get read and if it does nothing would be done about it. Thank you and have a blessed day.

They take way too long to approve you for the program and their office hours and phone numbers are not conducive to working parents. But I am glad that the state is helping working parents pay for child care so they can work!

This place is horrible. People are rude. Give you half answers when its something Im sure they use as well. The idea of it is great but they need better access to it.

Your working with childrens Lives, why dont people want to perfect their training techniques, you will Never know when you may need it!! How else can you encourage children to strive to reach their Greatest potential!!

This company offers good benefits to employees, not good pay. If you go thru training here- for a job. Observe and note-take everything. Remember bring a notebook, keep notes of every day of training. If its two weeks, jot things down-you observe everyday. The trainers are biased and do not treat everyone fair. You will see favoritism for some of students. The training is intense and you have to keep up with them, since things move too quickly. Exams are pop-ups and quick, some students cheat and trainers turn a blind eye. Once you get into the gray dungeon of the working floor, you will see that people are more fake. Take your breaks and lunch, away from the gray boring desks. You need that air, to remember that you are worth more and deserve better. Never too early to look for another job, stay positive thinking. The supervisors have their important meetings, and dont really help new employees. You are seen as a disturbance, cell phone conversations are always important time using. The other employees may help you, when they can. Use training manuals given to you, handling phone calls is more demanding, and requires a big brother always watching you. Logging every step you take all day long. This is not google, with the ridiculous watching system. In house email, always informing about going-ons, not much time face -to face communication with supervisors. Get used to it, they have their own agenda, you are always second. This company has a very high turnover rate, meaning people are not happy here. Its probably due to the hierarchy of employees feeling not appreciated. Their walk -in waiting time, is as bad as waiting for the dhs office to give you a link card. The have rumor mills here, its not too bad. You are always working, never time to waste, itt the same motto as other jobs. Pump your employees for more, and pay them peanuts. Take advantage of health insurance, you will need it for pills for high blood pressure and psychiatric care. I hope this company improves in in-house respect relationships and supervisors get sensitivity training classes to respect lower-paying employees. This is not an even playing field, you know. Get comfortable when you make more money mentality. Co-workers can be helpful, but you are on your own. watch out or you will sink in. Union protects you after 90 days, not sooner. Working here is eye opening, serving the low paying community should be enriching. Not stressful. People still getting rich from helping the poor, I hope this company can improve. for now, its you are a small fish, in a tank full of sharks. Always watch your back, because someone will always watch you.

Well the workers are routed.some of them.I will not call out names I would not want anyone to lose their job.Im a homecare provider it takes them so long to pay people but they pay faster with child care schools first.its not fair I give services the same way in my home potty training feed my clients breakfast lunch and dinner.

I hate coming here! They always have such rude staff!!!

Worst service ever!!. I have been calling since November of 2017 trying to get information in regards to my Providers payments and they can never have an answer. She was approved for Sep, Oct, and Nov and up to this day April 2018 they have not sent in those payments. So unprofessional oh but if you do not submit in any paper they are missing they are really quick to cancel your case! WORST SERVICE EVER!!!!!!!!

My payments were given to a provider that didnt care for my child but all the info was on the application for the new provider. Not to mention its been 7 months without any payments and Im told something different everytime I call. Im over it

Im sitting here on hold for over an hour. Yall need to get a call center or something because this is ridiculous.

This has got to be THE SLOWEST and most INEFFICIENT system that Ive ever dealt with!!!!!! They never answer the phone and IF they do, they keep you ENDLESSLY on hold!!!! There other branches dont even have phone numbers, much less an e-mail. And when you can finally GET your paper work, they keep your case on review for WEEKS at a time. Meanwhile, the poor single Moms who are trying to work their ever-loving butts off have to jump their A---- and every flamin hoop in the city of Chicago and bank inconvenient favors from every friend and family member just to get their kid watched while these Day Care Action people sit on their cases........for WEEKS at a time!!!!!!!Last time I called them, they said Id be on hold for more than 6 minutes. I ended up on hold for nearly a whole freakin HOUR!!!!!!!

Worst customer service on planet earth. Don’t even bother calling they hang up on you. If I could give it 0 stars I would.

Ive been doing action for children since 2007 of August and after all this time last year they want to approve the client but deny me then sit there and say i didnt send them all the info they requested of me. I literally dont understand that after seeing how long i been caring for the same children now you have issues with recieving my info in the mail when i drop it off it front of your office mail box? These workers like to say it aint there fault but rush you off the phone after waiting more than 10min im waiting right now as i type this comment up and i been waiting for 33:08 min..... Wow maybe they need to hire some motived staff that actually like doing their job. Not everybody likes there job but do you really need to act lazy towards your job and treat people like their bothering you? Oh waite the famous line yall want to use is that its not the workers fault then whos is it the clients and providers fault than? Hell no we do send in our proper paper work spend countless hours sitting waiting to talk to one of you just for yall to rush us out up out the office. You tell us he said she said stuff on the open to get us off the line than yall mess with the providers payments. How the hell i have two clients and only getting paid for one thats 5 children i take care of 5days a week and im only getting paid 500 a month yall really messing with peoples payments we have bill too we have rent due at the first of the month too but yall dont care why??? Cause it aint you riight cause you sit up in the office pushing out more paper than actually looking and reading every file..... And at the end of the day you still getting paid while the rest of us suffer cause we gotta think of ways of paying our way of life. Still waiting on hold its already 45min smh wow.

They have helped me for many years! Not everyone can afford $200/ week for one child. IL action for children is always quick to process paper work although at times they may lose papers but with our low income families who need to work to live like everyone else, this help really makes it possible to work full time.

They never answer when u call and its taking extremely long to be b approved. When u go to this place its really crowded and some of the employees are just sitting around on there phones its horrible .. I feel its gonna take so long to get any pay from here..

Great place nice people and very helpful

Theres a long time of waiting when you call the number. You cant even make an appointment online.. usually, if tou dont stick with one of the workers, you get the run around and your application can be delayed. This company or organization isnot ttechnology up to date.and be prepare to spend a lot of time waiting at damen office.

Careless comments/remarks adds insult to injury when parents need to work (& does), but NEEDS HELP on funding for CHILDS PROPER CARE. Rushing/pushing callers off the line, talking over you through whatever youre saying with nononchalant attitudes, then asking if you have any other questions... Of course, months & hours worth of questions! Those are the amounts of time it took to NOT get a busy signal or having to hear that dreadful automated message telling you to call back at a later time, and also the amount of time desperately waiting for an actual rep. only to come across who you feel are not cooperative & are a hindrance -- and on top of that denied communication with a Supervisor and cant even speak to someone else without calling back. Great that some financial relief could come some families way, but horrible & down right degrading treatment makes it all the more difficult. I dispies it, and how it seems impossible to file a complaint or even make suggestions. Definitely dispies this treacherous process, lack of ownership/acknowledgement/accountability & more importantly the drive to actually help callers who have actually made it through needing assistance. I will be writing many more reviews in efforts to allow once was silenced voices to be heard. Remember, this is a service/responsibility YOU (representatives) CHOSE TO WORK/GET PAID for in this organization, this is not war and YOU (representatives) WERENT DRAFTED!

Some of the worst employees ever!!! cant comprehend what you are asking! Staff is so incompetent and every person you speak with gives you a different answer!.... they are no help at all been trying to get my provider to get paid since February yet 8 months later they just now tell me that something in my application was wrong???? very incompetent workers.

It’s so hard to contact these people. You’re literally on hold for over an hour. That’s ridiculous !! Not everyone has time to come here.

People dont understand its not the workers fault. You want to make a change then hold ILLINOIS accountable.

Put me on hold @ 2:44pm never came back to phone and the HU at closing hour. Horrible service

Ive been trying to call all day and cant even get a ring, number busy try again later. I handed in ALL of the paper work they asked for weeks ago and I just got invoiced full price for daycare. I cant take off of work to go over there and complain or try and sort things out. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE JUST ANSWER YOUR PHONE

THIS NEW SYSTEM OF ENROLLING CHILDREN WHO NEED SUBSIDIZED CARE SUCKS!! YOU CANT GET ANY ANSWERS, PHONE IS BUSY ALL OF THE TIME. ONLY TWO LOCATIONS FOR THE ENTIRE CHICAGO LAND AREA! BACKED UP FOR OVER SIX MONTHS, CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY TO CATCH UP BUT NEVER DO. I FEEL BAD FOR ANY PARENT THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS! IVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THROUGH FOR THREE WEEKS FOR A FRIEND... STATE OF ILLINOIS HIRE MORE STAFF THAT CAN HANDLE THE CASE LOADS AND STOP TRYING TO SAVE MONEY!!!

Takes way too long to process paperwork and they are always behind! One time they were 3 months behind and i had to pay out of my pocket for my son to attend his daycare and then i would get reimbursed from my provider once the redetermination would go through. Very inconvenient for working parents to have to deal with this. If youre going to help us then please really help us.

I keep calling n calling n calling and calling and calling and calling no answer no help could u please help me I am a mother of two kids I work n pay my taxes Im just trying to keep moving forward trying to teach my girls never give up I cant pay my bills because Im paying so many babysitters and I cant keep a roof over my kids heads with out help Im not looking for a hand out Ill work just please help

This facility is so behind and so disrespectful. Im trying to figure out what are the workers doing that they are months and months behind. The workers have the worse attitude they treat you as if they hate their jobs. I dread going to this place.

Was quickly when you come early

Horrible customer service agent Jackie so rude and disrespectful... As she continue to cut me off to speak the ending result was they lost my application and check stubs even though I have a walk in receipt number for dropping the paper work to them

They never answer the phone, Go to the office of Action for Children is to lose one working day. Bring lunch and chair to sit

They never answer the phone .

They must have lost a lot of funding because it seems like they activily look for reasons to deny you. Apparently, if you are a single parent and working full time earning $1400/mo (as in my situation), your income is over the limit and you are denied. I had to pull my child out of daycare and consequently lost my job as a result...

Worst experience ever. They lost all of my paperwork I should have had coverage months ago gave me the run around I almost lost my jobs because of themI wish I still lived in dupage

The phone system is horrible , and they make u wait more than 2 hours. What a disgusting customer service.

Wait is way to long even if dropping off papers

They dont really try help parents with the needs of child assistance.

They take to long to answer I have call them so many time they always put me on hold

I have try calling their office 4 different timesTheir answering service sucks!!!!! No help at all

Workers were rude laughed in my face hung up the phone and refused to let me speak to a manager

This place is horrible... They cant even process paperwork correctly. Bull.

Worst phone service ever never able to take calls and if you do get through your waut time is a hour or more

The worst ever they never get your information right

A WASTE OF TIME I WAS ON HOLD FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.00:22min and they hung up the phone smdh!!!

How on EARTH are you closed NOW. at 3:22pm!? In the middle of a business day? Ive been trying to apply since May and still nothing or no one... shame.

I have called three times today and been on hold for an hour and my papers keep on getting mixed up between both my kids

Always on hold for hours, so its no use to calling. You go into the office and you still wait for a long time. Service is needed bad.

Helpful employees

Rude people.

This Place is very Perfectional

Quick and easy

THEY TAKE TO LONG TO ANSWERS THE PHONE AND ITS NOT EASY WHEN JUST GO UP THERE AND MAKE A APPOINTMENT WHEN YOU WORK THE SAME HOURS THEY OPEN AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS LONG....

Impossible to reach through the phone!

Who funds this agency?

Excellent service

Deal treatment.

Very professional

They dont help you

They make you go around a lot