Taking the Lead Leadership Academy for Family Child Care Professionals
Run a Family Child Care Business That Truly Thrives
Ready to Lead Leadership Academy for Illinois Child Care Center Directors
Taking the Lead is a nine-month professional learning community for family child care professionals who are ready to turn passion into a sustainable, high-quality business — with peer support, a dedicated coach, and a clear path toward your Gateways Illinois Family Child Care Credential.
Apply now → Applications open July 10 and close September 10, 2026. Illinois registration is just $175. Out-of-state professionals, email MIEC.LA@nl.edu to learn more.
You started this because you love the work. Nobody handed you a business degree to go with it.
You opened your doors because you care about children and families. You have built something real in your home and your community — something parents trust and kids remember.
But the business side never stops. Taxes. Contracts. Recordkeeping. Marketing. Quality ratings. Most professionals learn the hard way. It is easy to feel like you are leaving money on the table or running out of room to grow.
Left alone, that gap costs you. It shows up in lost income, in burnout, in a quality rating that quietly caps your funding and your enrollment.
Taking the Lead closes that gap. Over nine months, you build the business systems, the quality practices, and the leadership confidence to run a business that is both heart-led and financially sound — alongside a community of peers who get it and a Taking the Lead coach in your corner for the entire journey.
What you walk away with
Taking the Lead is built around four outcomes. Here is what each one actually means for your business:
| The outcome | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Thrive as a small business owner | Through the Making Dollars and Sense sessions, record keeping training, and contracts-and-handbooks work, you stop guessing on the money. You keep more of what you earn, price your business with confidence, and put real systems behind it. |
| Enhance your learning environment | You build a Continuous Quality Improvement Plan and put your $300 quality improvement grant to work on tangible upgrades — so the space children spend their days in keeps getting better. |
| Expand your leadership | From advocacy and engagement to leading your own business, you grow from caregiver to change agent — with the confidence to lead in your home, your community, and the policy conversations that shape this field. |
| Master quality assessment tools | Gain an in-depth understanding of the FCCERS-R and the BAS assessment tools, learning how each tool measures program quality and business practices—and how to use that knowledge to strengthen your business. |
Is Taking the Lead right for you?
This is built for you if…
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You are a family child care professional in Illinois (out-of-state professionals are welcome — email MIEC.LA@nl.edu).
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You are at any stage in your career — getting organized after years of running on heart, scaling a busy group home, or stepping into community leadership.
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You are working toward the Gateways Illinois Family Child Care Credential.
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You want the business and continuous improvement skills to match the quality care you already give.
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You can commit to nine monthly sessions, in-person and virtual, over the program year.
This probably is not the right fit if…
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You lead a center-based program rather than home-based family child care — our Ready to Lead and Aim4Excellence programs are built for center directors and administrators.
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You cannot make the time commitment this cohort requires (and that is okay — it will be here when you are ready). Our Building Better Business program for family child care consists of only four virtual sessions that take place over four months.
What is included
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Nine monthly training sessions — a blended mix of in-person and virtual learning.
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119 total contact hours and six credits toward the Gateways Illinois Family Child Care Credential.
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A $300 quality improvement grant to invest directly in your business.
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A community of peers and a dedicated Taking the Lead coach — so you are never doing this alone.
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Optional college credit — 10 quarter hours of undergraduate course credit, available for an additional fee.
Investment $175 registration fee for Illinois professionals. Funded by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood and FDC Foundation. Out-of-state professionals, contact MIEC.LA@nl.edu.
The individuals listed below successfully completed Assessor Reliability training on the Program Administration Scale (PAS). During the training, they achieved reliability, became Certified PAS Assessors, and maintained that certification.
HOW IT WORKS
- Apply. Applications open July 10 and close September 10, 2026.
- Join your cohort and coach. Begin with Orientation on September 26, 2026, then move through nine monthly sessions with your peer community and Taking the Lead coach.
- Graduate ready. Earn your contact hours and credential credit, put your $300 grant to work, add optional college credit, and celebrate at the Final Presentations and Ceremony on May 1, 2027.
List of Services
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September 26, 2026 — Orientation: It Starts With YouItem Link List Item 1
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Session 2 — New Role, New Relationships: Learning to LeadItem Link List Item 2
Navigate the shift from teammate to supervisor, setting professional boundaries and having difficult conversations while keeping relationships intact.
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Session 3 — From the Inside Out: The Power of Reflection and Self-AwarenessItem Link List Item 3
Understand your own leadership style and how it lands with your team, so you can lead intentionally instead of reactively.
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Session 4 — Leadership in Action: How Effective Directors Get Things DoneItem Link List Item 4
Trade firefighting for systems practical strategies effective directors use to prioritize, delegate, and move their programs forward.
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Session 5 — Professional Development CoachingItem Link
One-on-one virtual coaching to apply what you’ve learned to the real challenges in your own center.
Full schedule (2026–2027 cohort)
All sessions are held at National Louis University – Lisle (850 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532) or virtually, as noted.
| Date | Session |
|---|---|
| September 26, 2026 | Orientation: It Starts With You |
| October 24, 2026 | More Than a Nurturing Heart: Creating Continuous Quality Improvement Plans |
| October 29, 2026 | Record keeping Introduction Webinar (2-hour evening session) |
| November 21, 2026 | Promoting Quality: An Overview of the FCCERS-R |
| December 19, 2026 | Making Dollars and Sense, Part 1: Budgeting and Fiscal Management |
| January 16, 2027 | Put It in Writing: Contracts and Handbooks |
| February 20, 2027 | Making Dollars and Sense, Part 2: Family Engagement |
| March 20, 2027 | Marketing with a Message |
| April 17, 2027 | Advocacy and Engagement |
| May 1, 2027 | Final Presentations and Ceremony |
Why family child care professionals choose McCormick
Backed by a university
Taking the Lead is delivered by the McCormick Institute for Early Childhood at National Louis University — a name the early childhood field knows and trusts.
Credential-aligned
The program builds credit toward the Illinois Family Child Care Credential, with an optional path to college credit.
Funded to for accessibility
Support from the Illinois Department of Early Childhood and FDC Foundation keeps the Illinois registration fee at just $175 — and adds a $300 grant on top.
You are not alone
A peer community and a personal Taking the Lead coach walk the full nine months with you.
What past participants say
You already have the heart. Add the business.
If you have ever felt like the care comes naturally, but the business side is holding you back, this is the program built for exactly you. Join a community of professionals who decided to lead.
Apply for Taking the Lead
Applications open July 10 and close September 10, 2026. $175 for Illinois professionals. Questions? Email MIEC.LA@nl.edu or call 833.532.3323.
FAQs
Who is Taking the Lead for?
Family child care professionals — home-based professionals at any stage of their career. It is designed specifically for the family child care field, not for center-based directors.
What does it cost?
$175 for Illinois professionals, made possible by Illinois Department of Early Childhood and FDC Foundation funding. Out-of-state professionals should email MIEC.LA@nl.edu for details.
Is it in person or virtual?
Both. It is a blended program of in-person and virtual sessions, held at National Louis University in Lisle, IL, and online.
When does it start and how long is it?
The cohort runs nine monthly sessions from Orientation on September 26, 2026, through the closing ceremony on May 1, 2027.
Can I earn college credit?
Yes. You can earn 10 quarter hours of undergraduate college course credit for an additional fee, on top of the 119 contact hours and six credits toward the Gateways Illinois Family Child Care Credential.
What is the $300 grant?
Every participant receives a $300 quality improvement grant to invest directly in their program’s learning environment.
How do I apply?
Applications open July 10 and close September 10, 2026. Start your application or contact MIEC.LA@nl.edu with questions.
