April 23 Child Care Provider Updates April Child Care Counts Update Period Starts April 27 Get ready – the next Child Care Counts Update Week is April 27 – May 5, 2024. Organize your records now so you are ready for Update Week. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Update Weeks. The Count Weeks for the April application period are April 14-27. See the Child Care Counts webpage and read the Round 4 Terms and Conditions for details. If you need assistance, email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650. Public Hearing on Draft Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Plan Federal Fiscal Year 2025-27 The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) is holding a Public Hearing via Zoom on May 14, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The purpose of the public hearing is to solicit verbal or written comments from the public on DCF’s proposed Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plan, which is Wisconsin’s application for federal CCDF funds. More information about the Public Hearing can be found on the Wisconsin State Legislature website. The draft CCDF State Plan is located on the Child Care Reports, Plans, and Grants webpage. If you are unable to access the document via the DCF website, you may request that a copy be emailed to you electronically. Those requests should be sent to DCFCCDFStatePlanComments@wisconsin.gov. Updated Licensing Manuals Updated content is now available for the following rule books with commentary: DCF-P-2532 Licensing Rules for Day Camps for Children With Commentary DCF-P-PFS4024 Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Centers and Child Care Programs Established or Contracted For by School Boards With Commentary DCF-P-PFS4069 Licensing Rules for Family Child Care Centers with Commentary Updated content is highlighted in yellow for ease of finding changes. The manuals can be found on the department’s Child Care Licensing Rules with Commentary webpage. Manuals in separate parts are currently being updated to reflect these changes. If you have any questions, please contact your assigned Licensing Specialist. DCF is Hiring The Division of Early Care and Education, Bureau of Operations and Planning, is currently recruiting to fill an IS Business Automation Consultant/Administrator position. IS Business Automation Consultant/Administrator – This position will create, maintain, and edit the product roadmaps and strategy for the Child Care Modernization portfolio. At a high level, this position will be responsible for defining the priority of initiatives by ranking them against other initiatives and in alignment with division strategic goals in order to maximize the impact of a portfolio of programs. This position identifies potential improvements; conducts research; generates program requirements; and determines project timetables in the pursuit of maximizing the impact of a portfolio of child care programs. This position will work on key DECE programs, projects, and automation efforts for initiatives which affect the division such as: Child Care Counts, Partner Up! Optimization, Wisconsin Shares Modernization, etc. This position can be located in any of the following cities: Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Eau Claire, or Rhinelander. The deadline to apply for this position is April 29, 2024. View all open DCF positions at Wisc.Jobs. Reminder: Participate in the YoungStar Analysis and Update Project The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is doing an analysis and update of YoungStar, Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). Our goal is to make YoungStar a more effective tool for setting meaningful expectations for child care quality, communicating information about child care quality to parents and caregivers, and supporting child care programs to meet quality expectations. Read more about the project. Register to attend one of the upcoming listening sessions. Thursday, May 2 from 6-8 p.m. at TenderCare Christian Child Care Center. Read the flyer for details.Registration is required. Register to attend. Tuesday, May 7 from 6-8 p.m. at La Causa Charter School. This program will be in Spanish and English.Read the flyer for details.Registration is required. Register to attend. Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Marathon County Public Library. Read the flyer for details.Registration is required. Register to attend. Our next listening session will be in Green Bay. Stay tuned for more information on these and more listening sessions across the state. Take our survey for parents and caregivers, providers, educators, and child care stakeholders. Reminder: Upcoming Training Opportunities from SFTA Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA) is offering several training opportunities in May. TTAP Course Series Registration is open for the following courses: TTAP Course Series – Trainer: Tuesday, May 7 – Tuesday, May 28, 4-7:30 p.m. Register today! TTAP Course Series – Foundations: Thursday, May 9 – Thursday, May 30, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Register today! Note: These are blended courses, pre-work to be completed on ECExplorer, SFTA’s LMS. Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First: Relaxing the Stress for ECE Professionals Caring for the littles can be stressful. How can early childhood care & education providers develop strategies to help relax while caring for children? Join the May 2 Early Childhood Health Consultation (ECHC) free virtual webinar to learn the signs of stress and relaxation techniques that early childhood care providers can use in their programs. May 2, 2024 - 1 p.m.Register for the webinar. Learn more about the webinar.Spanish interpretation will be available during live webinar. If interested in Spanish interpretation, please join live webinar by computer. Language interpretation is not available on phone. Reminder: Virtual Behavioral Health Learning Series – April 24 Join the Wisconsin Afterschool Network for the final 2023-24 school-year Behavioral Health Learning Series presentation, Working with Gender Diverse Youth: A Primer on Gender Affirmation and Important Topic Considerations. This free presentation with Dr. Diestelmann will provide an overview of engagement considerations for adults working with transgender and gender diverse youth in afterschool or out-of-school time programming. April 24 – 11:30 a.m.Register for the Zoom meeting. Questions? Email wisconsinafterschoolnetwork@marshfieldclinic.org Free Continuing Education Opportunity! Empathic Listening Explore how honest and effective use of empathic listening can help you to win trust and address the root cause of behavior problems. Join the Parents Place free virtual webinar on Empathetic Listening! May 1 – 5:30-7 p.m.Learn more information and register for the webinar. Please contact Ann-Marie St John with any questions. 262-549-5575 or astjohn@parentsplacewi.org.
