April 23 Child Care Provider Updates Child Care Bridge Payments End June 28, 2026 Reminder: The Child Care Bridge Payments (CCBP) end on June 28, 2026 and final payments will be posted on July 10, 2026. DCF encourages all eligible child care providers to continue submitting monthly applications through the end of the program. See program details on the CCBP webpage. April Child Care Bridge Payments Update Period Closes Soon – Apply Today! Time is running out to complete required updates on your April Child Care Bridge Payments application. The deadline is Sunday, April 26 at 11:59 p.m. How to Apply The Child Care Bridge Payments application is available in the Child Care Provider Portal. If you have not yet applied for Child Care Bridge Payments, see the Application Guide for information about submitting your initial application. Update Week Reminders Once you are approved for payments, you must update your application every month. Please be sure to review any information that is copied over from the previous month and update all new information as required. Upload verification documents only if needed This includes child and staff records, if updates are needed. If your program was closed for the entire count week (for example, seasonal closures) or if you no longer wish to receive payments, you must withdraw your application during Update Week. Application Resources Update Week Guide – step-by-step instructions for updating and re-submitting your application Uploading Documents to the Child Care Provider Portal Guide Support Center Please send your questions to the Child Care Payments mailbox: DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov and include your name, phone number, provider number, and details of your question in your email. A Support Center specialist will reply as soon as possible. Support Center hours are 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F. Reminder: 40 Percent Rule Operations Memo and Updates Reminder: when accepting Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy, please remember, no more than 40 percent of children in care can be the children of the provider or the employee’s children. For more information, please see Operations Memo 26-10 40 Percent Rule Monitoring Policy. Reminder: Child Care Immunization Assessment for 2025-2026 If you have not already done so, please complete your Child Care Assessment survey by April 30, 2026. The survey closes at 5 p.m. on April 30, 2026, and will not reopen. This assessment is required for all licensed child care programs (family, group, and camps) that serve 2-4-year-old children. Please use the Wisconsin Department of Health Services webform to complete the survey. The Child Care Assessment booklet contains all information needed for completing the assessment. The Immunization Requirements webpage, under child care requirements, also contains additional resources. If you are having difficulties submitting your assessment online, please call 608-267-9959 or email DHSImmProgram@dhs.wisconsin.gov to complete your assessment over the phone. Thank you for your partnership! 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. Virtual: Stress and Resilience: Strengthening Well-Being for Early Childhood Professionals This course offers early childhood educators strategies to recognize stressors and explore ways to build resilience in both their personal and professional lives. Participants will consider practical approaches to finding balance and maintaining a positive outlook in their work. Live session | Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 12:30-2 p.m. Register through the Wisconsin Registry. | Registration closes on April 26, 2026. Questions? Contact Kalli Leutenegger.
