Chicago · Licensed center

Joyful Steps Learning Center

At a glance

Medium center, licensed for 84 children.

What to know

License: 6 weeks to 12 years (state).

The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 7 of its 9 licensing inspections since May 2018.

See each inspection

Licensing inspections

Sep 9, 2026Nothing cited
Jul 30, 2025Nothing cited
Jan 29, 202511 citations
- Background Checks for Personnel
  Background Checks for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(6)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(1)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(f)(1)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(f)(2)
Jan 3, 202311 citations
- Diapering and Toileting Procedures
  Diapering and Toileting Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(4)
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(c)(14)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
- A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
  A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
Jan 4, 20221 citation
- Qualifications for Child Care Director
  Qualifications for Child Care Director
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(a)
Jan 25, 202120 citations
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(k)(3)
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(k)(6)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(3)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(4)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(f)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(2)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(b)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(c)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
- Special Requirements for School-Age Children
  Special Requirements for School-Age Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.220(b)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(d)(1)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(d)(2)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(d)(3)
- Grouping and Staffing
  Grouping and Staffing
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(d)(4)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1)
Jan 15, 202016 citations
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(h)
- Background Checks for Personnel
  Background Checks for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(4)
- Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants
  Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(b)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
- Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f)
- Guidance and Discipline
  Guidance and Discipline
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
- Nutrition and Meal Service
  Nutrition and Meal Service
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1)
Jan 8, 201910 citations
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
- Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
  Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
- Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
- Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f)
- Guidance and Discipline
  Guidance and Discipline
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(3)
May 9, 20181 citation
- Diapering and Toileting Procedures
  Diapering and Toileting Procedures
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(1)

The state cited rules at 7 of this center's 9 inspections. Most Chicago-area centers inspected 9 times had more: 55% of 127 had rules cited at 8 or more.

How all 127 Chicago-area centers inspected 9 times compare

Of the 127 Chicago-area centers the state inspected 9 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:

2 of 91%
3 of 92%
4 of 92%
5 of 92%
6 of 916%
7 of 921%This center
8 of 924%
All 931%

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: September 9, 2026
On file: 9 visits since May 2018 — 2 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was February 28, 2025. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious: Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.

Sep 2026 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jul 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2025 Monitoring visit 11 findings

Monitoring visit · January 29, 2025

Personnel Records

10 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) through (f)(2) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) · 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(6) · 407.120(e)(1) · 407.120(e)(2) · 407.120(f)(1) · 407.120(f)(2)

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2023 Monitoring visit 11 findings

Monitoring visit · January 3, 2023

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(c)(14) through (i)(4)(a) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(c)(14) · 407.250(d) · 407.250(i)(2) · 407.250(i)(4)(a)

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Organization and Administration

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e) · Violation corrected

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(4) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2022 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · January 4, 2022

Qualifications for Child Care Director

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(a) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2021 Monitoring visit 20 findings

Monitoring visit · January 25, 2021

Grouping and Staffing

7 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) through (d)(4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · 407.190(b) · 407.190(c) · 407.190(d)(1) · 407.190(d)(2) · 407.190(d)(3) · 407.190(d)(4)

Staffing Structure

6 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1) through (f) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1) · 407.90(a)(2) · 407.90(a)(3) · 407.90(a)(4) · 407.90(a)(5) · 407.90(f)

Organization and Administration

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(k)(3) through (6) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(k)(3) · 407.70(k)(6)

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(2) through (7) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(2) · 407.100(c)(7)

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(2) · Violation corrected

Special Requirements for School-Age Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.220(b) · Violation corrected

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2020 Monitoring visit 16 findings

Monitoring visit · January 15, 2020

General Requirements for Personnel

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (h) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · 407.100(c)(7) · 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(f) · 407.100(h)

Personnel Records

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (e)(4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(e)(4)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2) through (4)(a) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2) · 407.250(i)(4)(a)

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(b) · Violation corrected

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f) · Violation corrected

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2019 Monitoring visit 10 findings

Monitoring visit · January 8, 2019

Health Requirements for Children

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1) through (6) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1) · 407.310(a)(4) · 407.310(a)(6)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) through (i)(4)(a) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) · 407.250(i)(4)(a)

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(3) · Violation substantiated

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · Violation substantiated

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) · Violation substantiated

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f) · Violation substantiated

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

May 2018 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · May 9, 2018

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(1) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 560098 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Details

Phone: (773) 264-6000
Address: 7 E 119th St, Chicago, 60628

We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.

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Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

State record

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.

Details

Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "JOYFUL STEPS LEARNING CENTER" under Provider Name and 60628 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 560098).
Ages on the license — Checked November 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "JOYFUL STEPS LEARNING CENTER" under Provider Name and 60628 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 560098).

Medium means the middle half of Chicago-area’s 1,948 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 49 to 118 children. Small is 8 to 48; large is 119 to 487.

The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.