March 13 Child Care Provider Updates DCF is Hiring for a Western Licensing/Certification Specialist Are you passionate about supporting the health, safety, and quality care for young children? If you're an experienced child care teacher or early care educator looking to expand your impact beyond the classroom, consider joining our team as a Child Care Licensing Specialist with the Bureau of Early Care Regulation. Professional experience in the early care and education setting is a requirement of this position. The Division of Early Care and Education (DECE), Bureau of Early Care Regulation (BECR), is currently recruiting to fill a Licensing/Certification Specialist position in the Western Region located in Eau Claire, WI. The position is comprised primarily of field work requiring on-site, in-person visits approximately 3-4 days per week. The majority of the travel for this position will be to Douglas, Burnett, Washburn, and Barron counties. Remote work options will be discussed further during the interview. The deadline to apply of Sunday, March 16, 2025. Learn more about this position on Wisc.Jobs. Tuesday Talks: Join us Tuesday, March 18 The next Tuesday Talks with DECE webinar is this coming Tuesday, March 18 at 1:30 p.m. and will feature the next topics in our Licensing Back to Basics series: Statements of Non-Compliance (CFS-294) and Online Licensing Application Updates. Registration is not required for these events. Tuesday Talks with DECE is held the third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. Visit the DCF Tuesday Talks with DECE webpage to learn more. Complete Your Approved CPR Classes Licensed Child Care All employees of a licensed child care center in regular contact with children in care are required to have a training in infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillation (AED) use from an agency approved by the department. The training must be completed within three (3) months of licensure or date of hire for certified and family child care providers and within three (3) months after beginning to work with children in care for group child care providers. The certificate of completion must be current and maintained in the employee’s file. Important: The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) approves agencies to offer the CPR and AED trainings as required by statute. A list of approved CPR classes can be found on the Department of Health Services website. Any CPR and AED training taken from an unapproved source will not meet the training requirement. Certified Child Care Those working in certified care are required to complete training in infant and child CPR that results in a certificate of completion but are not required to complete AED training and are not required to use a department-approved agency. The training must be completed within three (3) months of certification or within three (3) months of date of hire or beginning to work with children. The certificate of completion must remain current and submitted to the certification agency. Questions? Licensed child care providers with questions regarding CPR and AED training requirements may contact their assigned Licensing Specialist. Certified providers may contact their certification agency. February Child Care Counts Application Period is Closed The latest payment program update period is closed. Applications for the February Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by March 21, 2025, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next update period is April 5-13, 2025. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Update Weeks. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650, M-F 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Upcoming Events and Education/Training Opportunities The below events are hosted by DCF, one of its partners, or is one that may be relevant to the early childhood field. Click/tap on the titles below to learn more about each event. WECA Offering T-TAP Trainer Course Series starting on Tuesday, March 25. This four-part course offers 22 hours of Wisconsin Registry credit and covers the science of designing and implementing trainings. Registration deadline is March 18 – limited seats are available, so sign up soon. More details and the registration fee are available on the Registry’s website. Virtual: Little Connections: Building Relationships with Infants and Toddlers Join YoungStar Connect for this live virtual training to learn how relationships are built between educators and infants and toddlers. Explore examples of interactions that support learning and relationship building. Spanish interpretation is not available. Wednesday, March 26 | 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Register at the Wisconsin Registry. | Registration closes on March 23, 2025 Questions? Contact Lindsay Fischer at lfischer@youngstarconnect.com Free ECHC Webinar: “Finding a Way: Support for Families of Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays” This webinar will introduce you to Wisconsin Wayfinder, a program to connect families and professionals with support for children who have delays, disabilities, special health care needs, or mental health conditions. Read complete webinar details. Spanish interpretation is not available. Webinar | Thursday, April 3 | 1-2 p.m. | Register today! This event is approved for 1.0 hour of continuing education through the Wisconsin Registry. Wisconsin Family Child Care Association Annual (WFCCA) Conference Come “Light the Way with Intention” and renew your passion for family child care and gaining knowledge while connecting with other child care providers to create a supportive network! Thursday, April 10-12, 2025 | Hyatt Regency in Green Bay Early bird registration closes March 14 | Register today! Visit the WFCCA website for complete conference information.
