“Relatives Raising Children” program
Mid-Illinois Senior Services helping caregivers
•July 9, 2025•
In Illinois, it’s estimated that over 263,890 children under 18 live in homes headed by a relative, with more than 71,000 grandparents caring for their grandchildren. A significant portion of families in Illinois involve grandparents or other relatives raising children, with some estimates suggesting that over 85,000 children in Illinois are being raised by kin with no parent present. Numerous studies and data collected estimate a long-term upward trend in grandparents taking on the role of primary caregiver for their grandchildren in Illinois, with numbers increasing dramatically over the past 25 years. The reasons for this trend vary, but many have been linked to parental substance abuse, mental health issues, incarceration, and death. Many grandparents take on this role due to the challenges faced by their adult children, often needing to re-enter the workforce to support the added financial burden.