August 9 Child Care Provider Updates During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will send updates to everyone who has subscribed to the DCF Child Care listserv. DECE Administrator Chosen as 2022 Ascend Fellow Congratulations to DCF’s Erin Arango-Escalante on being one of 22 leaders from across the country selected as a 2022 Ascend Fellow at the Aspen Institute. The Ascend Fellowship invests in diverse leaders who are well-connected, well-prepared, and powerfully positioned to build political will, change systems, and drive the policy agenda needed for the well-being and prosperity of all children and families. Read the full press release. August Tuesday Talks with DECE: Child Care Counts: Stabilization Round 2 Our next Tuesday Talks with DECE will take place on Tuesday, August 16 at 1:30 p.m. through Zoom. Next week’s topic is Child Care Counts: Stabilization Round 2. No need to register. Just follow the Zoom link posted on our website at the time of the webinar. You can also download the re-occurring calendar invite with the Zoom information in it. Spanish interpretation will be available (Información en español). View the lineup on our website. Subscribe to our child care listserv to receive updates on upcoming talks. Out-of-School Time Conference – Afterschool Strong: Together We Make a Difference Nov. 1-2 Join the Wisconsin Afterschool Network for an opportunity for out-of-school time professionals to gain information, education, and resources which will support their programs, staff, and participants. November 1 is a virtual conference geared toward group leaders of out-of-school time programs. November 2 is in-person, all day, geared toward program administrators, directors, or site supervisors of out-of-school time programs. The conference will be held at the Glacier Canyon Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells. Save the date and watch for complete details in the coming weeks. If you have questions, please contact the Wisconsin Afterschool Network at wisconsinafterschoolnetwork@marshfieldclinic.org WEESSN Staffing and Enrollment Survey It’s no secret to anyone in the early care and education field that there is a significant staffing shortage. We know this is creating difficult situations for child care programs across the state. However, there is no data to show local, city, and state decision-makers what the impact of the staffing crisis really is. WEESSN has worked with child care providers, researchers, and national experts to create a short survey to understand your current enrollment and staffing trends. Please take the time to fill out the survey by August 19 and share it on social media and with other colleagues. With this data, we can tell the real story of what’s happening in the field. Child Care Counts July Application/Update Period Closed The latest payment program application period is closed. Applications for the July Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by August 19, 2022, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next application/update period (Round 2) is August 22 – September 2, 2022. Visit our webpage to see more information about Round 2, including important dates for August 2022 – April 2023, Round 2 Terms and Conditions, Non-Standard Hours Add-On, and more! If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to get answers to your questions. Child Care Counts Información en español. Reminder: Updated Voluntary Repayment Agreement (VPA) Guidance In the last year, VPA requests have increased significantly. Program Integrity is issuing guidance to providers clarifying when a VPA is needed. VPA should only be submitted when: Child is absent for 30 days or more Provider closures, except for closures up to 14 days related to COVID-19 exposure, and closures on legal holidays Contact childcare@wisconsin.gov with any questions.
