February 6 Child Care Provider Updates Get Ready to Apply for Child Care Counts Round 4 – Feb. 10-25 Get ready – Child Care Counts Round 4 Application Week is February 10-25, 2024. Organize your records now so you are ready for Application Week. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for January funds by February 9, 2024, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. Child Care Counts Round 4 Begins February 2024 The initial application period is February 10-25, 2024. The Count Weeks for the February application period are January 28 – February 10. All providers are required to upload child and staff records when submitting your initial application. See the new Round 4 Application Guide for step-by-step instructions. See the Child Care Counts webpage and read the Round 4 Terms and Conditions for details and important changes. Watch for additional webpage updates coming soon. Spending Deadline Reminder All Stabilization Payment Program funds must be spent within 120 days from the date of the payment letter. See the Use of Funds section of the Round 3 Frequently Asked Questions for more information. September 2023 funds must be spent by February 10, 2024. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650. Child Care Counts Información en español. Child Care Counts Webpages Have Been Updated We’ve made some updates to the Child Care Counts webpages. The new home page for Child Care Counts is now the Round 4 home page. If you would like information on Round 3, you can visit the Child Care Counts Round 3 home page. Round 4 Child Care Counts home page Round 3 Child Care Counts (closed) Update your bookmarks today for easy access to all Child Care Counts information. New Wisconsin Regulated Child Care Provider Dashboard The Department of Children and Families is excited to announce our new, Wisconsin Regulated Child Care Provider Dashboard! This user-friendly tool provides child care provider data for the last 10 years to help users better understand the regulated child care conditions in Wisconsin. With this dashboard, you can view monthly totals on the number and regulated capacity of active providers along with the number of new and closed providers. The data are available at the state level and for counties, tribal nations, state legislative district, and licensing region. We encourage all users to read our user guide prior to performing analysis to ensure the dashboard is used appropriately and data is accurately reflected. This tool joins a host of other publicly accessible data which can be found on our Child Care Data webpage. Reminder - CCFT Train-the-Trainer Informational Webinars in February Join DCF and the Wisconsin Registry when we host two energizing Child Care Foundational Training (CCFT) Train-the-Trainer Informational Webinars. These February webinars are a pre-requisite to becoming an approved CCFT facilitator through a course-specific train-the-trainer event. Current facilitators must attend one of the two available webinar sessions to maintain their active trainer status. Tier 3 trainers interested in becoming an approved CCFT trainer may attend to learn more. The webinars provide an overview of the new TSO and Trainer approval process, as well as key information regarding the revised CCFT trainings. And, you’ll get a walk-through of the new online module delivery method! See the webinar schedule below and click on the date to learn more and register to attend. You only need to attend one session. Thursday, February 8 – 1-3 p.m.Register for the February 8 webinar. Friday, February 23 – 9-11 a.m.Register for the February 23 webinar. Tuesday Talks – January Recording Now Available Did you miss the January Tuesday Talks with DECE? The link to the January 16 talk on Child Care Counts, the 2024 Preview, and the Wisconsin Registry is now available in the January 16, 2024 accordion on the Tuesday Talks with DECE Recordings webpage. Tuesday Talks with DECE are held the third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next webinar is Tuesday, February 20 at 1:30 p.m. and we will discuss Child Care Counts, Pre-Licensing, and YoungStar Connect. Visit the DCF Tuesday Talks with DECE webpage to access the Zoom link and learn about future topics. Learn more about Tuesday Talks on the DCF website. Información de las charlas del martes en español. Promoting Early Childhood Conference Registration Now Open! Join the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on March 5-7 at the Promoting Early Childhood Conference in Fond du Lac, WI. This year’s theme is Play: The Key to Lifelong Learning. Discover the power of play-based learning from early childhood to adulthood. Explore your role in enhancing and embedding play in your learning environments to meet the needs of all children (and adults). Promoting Early Childhood ConferenceMarch 5-7Radisson Hotel and Conference Center – Fond du Lac, WI Conference registration will remain open through February 25, 2024. See the DPI website for complete details.
