Section 1

(20 ILCS 505/1) (from Ch. 23, par. 5001) Sec. 1. The purpose of this Act is to create a Department of Children and Family Services to provide social services to children and their families, to operate children's institutions, and to provide certain other rehabilitative and residential services as enumerated in this Act. It is the intent of this Act that the child welfare services herein provided do not release the parent or guardian from responsibility to provide for the financial support of their children. This primary and continuing responsibility applies whether the family unit of parents and children remain intact and reside in a common household or whether the unit has been temporarily broken by reason of child abuse, neglect, dependency or other reasons necessitating state care and training. It is the purpose of this Act to provide for determination for the appropriate level of support, from parents given their financial circumstances. (Source: P.A. 83-1037.)