Child Care Program Summaries
1. WISCONSIN SHARES CHILD CARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM
Purpose: Provides financial child care assistance to low-income parents who are working or preparing to enter the workforce. The program is administered by local Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies and county or tribal human services agencies, which are supervised by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Child care is one of several support services Wisconsin provides to working low-income families, including Medicaid and BadgerCare health insurance, Food Stamps, help in child support collection, and earned income tax credits.
Population served: Any family in need is encouraged to apply. Low-income families with working parents are generally eligible for child care help. Families participating in W-2 employment programs are also eligible. Teen parents in school from low-income families are generally eligible for assistance. Low-income parents who are working and enrolled in courses to maintain employment may also be eligible for assistance. Families must have income below 185% of poverty to be initially eligible, and can continue to be eligible until income exceeds 200% of poverty. Waiting lists for child care subsidies were eliminated in March 1997.
Parent Choice and Co-payment: The subsidy program is designed to provide parents a wide range of choice in selecting child care settings for their children. Parents can choose licensed child care centers, licensed family day care homes, and more informal child care settings, as long as they meet basic health and safety standards. Generally over 75% of subsidized children use licensed child care as their primary care arrangement. Most parents are required to share the cost of child care through a co-pay requirement. The co-pay amount is on a sliding scale based on family size and income and number of children eligible for subsidy. Typically parents pay about 10% of the cost of care, while the subsidy program covers about 90% of the cost. Co-pay levels are set so they do not exceed 12% of a family's income, but most parents have co-pay requirements well below that 12% level.
Child Care Provider Regulation: The subsidy program requires that child care providers must meet health and safety standards and undergo criminal background checks in order to receive reimbursement payments. Child care providers must be licensed by the state, certified by county or tribal government, or operated by a public school in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
Child Care Provider File (CCPF) was completed in October 2004. Licensed provider information from the Department of Health and Family Services’ Bureau of Regulation Licensing’s automated system (CLIC) now flows into to the DWD system. All regulated child care providers are now in one database at DCF.
Reimbursement Rates: As of 2/26/06, regional reimbursement structure was implemented by dividing the counties into 4 urban rate zones based on what percent of the population in a county live in an urban area. A 75th percentile is calculated for each urban rate zone instead of each county.
Children and Families Served: As of 5/07, 32,232 families and 56,277 children were receiving child care subsidy help. The number of children served has nearly tripled since 1996, due primarily to funding connected to Wisconsin's welfare reform initiative, Wisconsin Works (W-2). Ninety-one percent of families using the program are single-parent families. Child Care Subsidy monthly report has more detailed information about the subsidy statistics.
Local administration: Local agencies administer the program by using a statewide automated system. Local agencies promote the program through brochures and community agencies. Families can apply for all four services in a single application. County human and social services programs and tribal governments administer the child care subsidy payments and certification of providers.
Statewide integrated system: Child care subsidies are administered locally. Local county, tribal and W-2 staff enter data into a statewide automated system which determines eligibility, establishes authorizations for child care payment, makes payments to providers, and collects data for federal reporting.
Child Care Provider Information Web (CCPI): This web application allows child care providers and county/tribal agency workers access to information from the child care subsidy program, Wisconsin Shares, through the internet. Child care providers and county/tribal agency workers have access to provider information including authorizations and payments for Wisconsin Shares subsidy funded children, statewide announcements, frequently asked questions and reports unique to a specific provider location.
Child Care Statewide Administration on Web (CSAW): CSAW is a web application that offers county/tribal child care workers access to the Child Care Payment System using the web. The system has the following modules:
- Provider Management: Includes the provider demographic screens and related functionality such as comments, EFT, etc.
- Authorization Management: Includes authorization-related screens. Note: Attendance entry is done using CCPI.
- Report Management: Includes reports such as New Provider and Discontinued Provider reports
- Issuance Management: Includes all payment related screens.
2. WISCONSIN'S QUALITY CHILD CARE INITIATIVES
Wisconsin addresses the quality and availability of child care through a major quality child care initiative, a statewide child care resource and referral network, scholarship and bonus program, and proactive licensing and monitoring. These initiatives are implemented primarily through grants to private non-profit agencies and to child care programs. The federal Child Care and Development Fund supports the following activities:
Addressing Quality in Child Care Settings
Child Care Information Center (WCCIC): WCCIC is a specialized child care library and information clearinghouse which provides audio-visual and printed materials to child care providers, organizations, and trainers throughout Wisconsin.Higher Rates for Accredited Facilities: A further incentive for quality is built into the reimbursement rate system for publicly-subsidized child care. Center-based programs and family child care providers who become accredited receive a differential of up to 10% above the market rate.
Training, Mentoring and Recognition for Early Childhood Professionals
Child Care Scholarship and Bonus program: Wisconsin's T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps). This initiative links training, compensation and commitment to improving the quality of early childhood care and education experiences for young children and their families. The program administers a scholarship and bonus program for child care workers (Wisconsin Early Childhood Association).R.E.W.A.R.D (Rewarding Education with Wages and Respect for Dedication): A compensation initiative that rewards workers in the child care and early education field who have reached specified educational levels and stay in the field (Wisconsin Early Childhood Association).
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R): Child care resource and referral agencies help parents find and select child care, develop new child care services where needed, support and help sustain existing child care services, identify local child care needs and resources, and provide public information about child care. Wisconsin has 16 CCRR's designated by the Department to provide services throughout the state. Annual grants are based on the basis of number of counties served and population.
Collaborating for Young Children
Early Childhood Collaborating Partners: A state group called Early Childhood Collaborating Partners sponsors local and state activities to promote the alignment or merging of early childhood education and child care. Leadership for the group is provided by early childhood staff in the Department of Public Instruction, child care professional associations, the Wisconsin Head Start Association, the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Association, the Wisconsin Education Association, the Child Care Section, and others.
Updated June 03, 2011