ACCESS is Wisconsin's online tool to apply for Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy, FoodShare, BadgerCare Plus, Wisconsin Medicaid, Family Planning Only Services, Wisconsin Works (W-2), or Caretaker Supplement benefits. Participants can also check their benefits, renew benefits, report changes, view application status, and perform other functions on an application or case.

WEB: https://access.wisconsin.gov

Assistant Child Care Teacher (ACCT Skills Certificate Program)

The ACCT Certificate is issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to recognize a student's mastery of employability skills valued by early care and education programs. The program allows students and workers to document their assistant child care teacher skills, employers to assess the skills they are looking for in quality employees, and educators to customize instruction to help students acquire skills that assistant child care teachers require.

ACCT Competencies:

• Investigate the necessity for and purpose of quality group care for young children

• Illustrate factors that affect space organization such as program goals, group size, licensing rules, etc.

• Discriminate among the varying stages of child development

• Analyze techniques of positive guidance for interacting with young children

• Select developmentally appropriate activities, equipment, and materials for children

• Explore career advancement opportunities within child care services

• Apply the USDA dietary guidelines for children and infants

• Identify center responsibilities related to health and safety of children

• Identify modifications needed for children with special needs

WEB: https://dpi.wi.gov/cte/skills-standards/assistant-child-care-teacher

Administration for Children and Families

The ACF is a division of the U. S. Department of Health & Human Services. It works to promote the economic and social well-being of children, families, individuals and communities with leadership and resources for compassionate, effective delivery of human services.

WEB: https://www.acf.hhs.gov

Agency Error

An AE is caused by an action or inaction of the local Wisconsin Shares agency or the Department of Children and Families in determining the child care subsidy amount and may result in an overpayment.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/manuals/wishares-cc-manual

Assistance Group

An AG is defined in Wisconsin Shares policy as all the members of a family group receiving Wisconsin Shares subsidy. One of the first components of non-financial eligibility is to determine the individuals included in the AG. Any of the following individuals who reside in the same household are considered in the AG:

• the parent

• dependent children

◦Includes 18-year-olds residing with their parents who are enrolled in high

school and expected to graduate by their 19th birthday

◦Includes minor teen parents and their dependent children residing with the

teen's parent

• the individual’s spouse or any non-marital co-parent

• the spouse’s dependent children

• the non-marital co-parent’s dependent children

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/manuals/wishares-cc-manual

Administrative Law Judge

An ALJ is a judge and trier of fact who both presides over fair hearings and adjudicates claims or disputes involving administrative law.

Authorization

A record that includes the number of hours for which the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy can be received, based on an assessment of the child care need plus travel time that has been approved in order to allow the parent to participate in an Approved Activity.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/wishares/pdf/policymanuals/glossary.pdf

Before and After School

Child care programs that serve school-age children in the hours before and after school.

BCCSA contains two sections: the Policy Section and the Program Integrity Section. The Program Integrity Section ensures the rules we mention throughout this training are followed and enforced for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program and YoungStar, Wisconsin's Quality Rating and Improvement System.

BCCSA also supports local agencies in their program integrity efforts, providing policy and procedural guidance, as well as assisting with monitoring, investigating, and recovering misapplied funds.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/wishares and https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/quality-adjustment

BECR is a bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education (DECE). BECR regulates family and group child care centers and day camps, monitors public school-operated child care programs, regulates certified programs in Milwaukee County, and conducts background checks on all licensees, household members, and employees of licensed and certified child care programs. The bureau has a central office, a child care background unit, and five regional licensing offices throughout the state. BECR's mission is to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of children in child care settings.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ccregulation

Bureau of Early Learning and Policy

BELP is a bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education (DECE). BELP administers the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program and oversees multiple quality initiatives, including YoungStar, the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for Wisconsin. BELP's mission is to provide access to high-quality child care and early education experiences, to enhance children’s development, to support their families in work and parenting roles, and to effectively manage the Wisconsin Shares program.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare

Bureau of Operations and Planning

BOP is a bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education (DECE). BOP exercises overall administration of division-wide activities including: IT services; policy and program communications; customer and stakeholder communication/ training; contract management and support; and quality assurance functions. BOP's mission is to ensure that the division has the operational capacity and specialized resources to support required functions with the highest degree of professionalism.

Bureau of YoungStar

BOY is a bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education (DECE). BOY oversees the department's quality initiatives, most importantly YoungStar, the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for Wisconsin. The bureau also supports the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) through established relationships with contract partners. BOY's mission is to provide access to high-quality child care and early education experiences, to enhance children’s development, and to support their families in their parenting roles.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar

Bureau of Regional Operations

BRO is a bureau in the Department of Children and Families, Division of Management Services (DMS). BRO works with state and local agencies administering DCF programs (child welfare, child care, child support, and W-2 financial assistance). The local agencies include county human services departments, child support agencies, private W-2 agencies, tribes and other service providers. BRO oversees the contracts with local agencies, conducts program monitoring, and provides technical assistance to local agencies in their delivery of DCF program services.

BRO is responsible for ensuring compliance with program requirements and provides detailed, statistical reports and high-level summary reports to its partners at the state and county levels.

BRO also responds to complaints from constituents about the specific services they receive from local agencies. Its Equal Opportunity Specialist oversees Civil Rights Compliance statewide.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/regionaloperations

Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from six weeks to thirteen years. Child care is the action or skill of looking after children by a day-care center, nannies, babysitter, teachers or other providers. Child care is a broad topic that covers a wide spectrum of professionals, institutions, contexts, activities, and social and cultural conventions. Early child care is an equally important and often overlooked component of child development. Child care providers can be children's first teachers, and therefore play an integral role in systems of early childhood education. Quality care from a young age can have a substantial impact on the future successes of children. The main focus of childcare is on the development of the child, whether that be mental, social, or psychological.

Child Care Finder

CCF is a public search site that allows Wisconsin parents to search for child care and find in-depth information on regulated programs such as their hours of operation, address, YoungStar rating, accreditation, and their regulation compliance history (including licensing violations).

Parents can search by the following criteria:

- Proximity to home or work address

- Child care type: group center, family child care, or day camp

- YoungStar participation status and rating

Families can then filter their search results to find infant care, 4K or Head Start programming, nighttime or weekend care, and languages spoken.

WEB: https://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov

Child Care Provider Certification

DCF 202 establishes standards for the certification of persons who provide child care for 1 to 3 children under age 7 unrelated to the provider, or who are not otherwise required to be licensed as a child care center under Wisconsin Statutes 48.65. DCF contracts certification functions to local counties and tribes. The DCF Bureau of Early Care Regulation (BECR) administers certification in Milwaukee County.

Certification agency contact information is available here: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/ccregulation/cccertification/certifiers.pdf

Compliance history for certified providers is available on the Child Care Finder public search website at: https://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cccertification

Child Care Provider Portal

The CCPP is a secure website, available 24/7, where regulated Wisconsin child care providers can manage their child care business using any computer, tablet, or smartphone with an Internet connection.

The CCPP enables child care programs to:

• submit background checks on individuals affiliated with their program

• view background check eligibility status and notices

• view Wisconsin Shares authorizations and payment details

• update their child care prices (required for licensed centers participating in

the Wisconsin Shares program)

• send a request to end a Wisconsin Shares authorization for a child who is no

longer attending or has never attended their program

• report days (or weeks) their child care program will be closed so a parent can

request an authorization to an alternate provider during the closure

• view YoungStar quality rating information and documents

• view certain Licensing, Certification and Wisconsin Registry details/documents

• pay licensing and certification fees using the E-Payment module

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare/provider-portal/info

Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

Wisconsin’s CCR&Rs are community-based, nonprofit agencies that work within eight regions of the state, serving all 72 counties and 11 tribes to ensure that Wisconsin’s youngest children have high quality early childhood experiences. CCR&Rs have something to offer everyone: families looking for child care or supports, early care and education providers in need of professional development opportunities, and communities looking for information, data or solutions.

WEB: https://supportingfamiliestogether.org/parents/child-care

Child Development Associate

The CDA is an experience- and competency-based credential in child development administered by the Council for Professional Recognition. In Wisconsin, having a CDA puts one at Registry Career Level 6.

WEB: https://www.cdacouncil.org/en/educator-pathways

Child care programs that provide care for 4 or more children under age 7 who are unrelated to the provider are required to be licensed. There are 5 regional offices in Wisconsin that issue licenses, monitor programs for compliance with the licensing rules, and investigate complaints. The licensing offices maintain a file on each facility that includes copies of the center’s complaint and compliance history. Information on that history is available by phone, mail, or in-person review, and on the Child Care Finder public search website. Child Care Finder contains information on all licensed and certified child care centers and day camps in Wisconsin, including YoungStar rated programs: https://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing

Council on Accreditation

The COA partners with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery outcomes by developing, applying, and promoting accreditation standards. Their accreditation is accepted for licensed group and school-age programs as equivalent to 4 Stars in YoungStar, Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system. If the education and training levels of staff members in a COA-accredited organization meet 5 Star minimums, the program is awarded a 5 Star rating.

WEB: https://coanet.org

Credit for Prior Learning

CPL is an alternative path for child care providers to earn college credits. Colleges that offer CPL award credit(s) to individuals who can demonstrate relevant skills and knowledge previously acquired through non-traditional schooling, non-credit-based training, work or other life experience. Providers work with a technical college, university, or private college system to determine if their personal life experiences can equate to college credit(s).

WEB: https://wisconsinearlychildhood.org/programs/t-e-a-c-h/credit-for-prior-learning

Developmentally Appropriate Environments

Developmentally appropriate environments provide multiple sources of age appropriate stimulation to encourage the development of physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills. An updated DAE indicator in the 2021-22 YoungStar Evaluation Criteria (effective for each program when they are rated in 2021-22) is required for programs wanting to earn a 3, 4, or 5 Star rating. An updated YoungStar DAE Training and other DAE resources are described at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/rating-criteria.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/youngstar/pdf/ys-2019-20/dae-4all.pdf

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

DAP is an approach to teaching grounded in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education.

DAP is designed to promote optimal learning and development, help each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals, and meet children where they are, as individuals and as part of a group.

The concept of developmental appropriateness has three dimensions: age appropriateness, individual appropriateness and cultural appropriateness.

1. Age appropriateness is based on human development research which indicates

that there are universal, predictable sequences of growth and change that occur

in children during the first nine years of life. These predictable changes occur in

all domains of development - physical, emotional, social, and cognitive.

Knowledge of typical development of children within the age span provides a

framework from which teachers prepare the learning environment and plan

appropriate experiences.

2. Individual appropriateness recognizes that each child is a unique person with an

individual pattern and timing of growth, as will as an individual personality,

learning style, and family background.

3. Cultural appropriateness recognizes the importance of the knowledge of the

social and cultural contexts in which children live to ensure that learning

experiences are meaningful, relevant, and respectful for the children and their

families. Both the curriculum and the adult’s interaction with the child should

be responsive to individual difference.

WEB: https://dpi.wi.gov/early-childhood/devel-approp

Electronic Benefit Transfer

EBT is an electronic system that allows state departments to issue benefits via a magnetically encoded payment card. The Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program provides monthly funds to parents utilizing the MyWIChildCare EBT card.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/mywichildcare

ECCE - Early Childhood Care and Education

ECE - Early Care and Education / Early Childhood Education

ECEC - Early Childhood Education and Care

The teaching of - and caring for - children from birth up to the age of eight. ECCE aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. ECCE has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsible future citizens.

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale

The ECERS program assessment tool is used for defining and assessing quality in group child care classrooms that serve children 2 1/2 years through 5 years of age in programs working to earn a 4 Star or 5 Star rating in YoungStar, Wisconsin's quality rating and improvement system. The ECERS focuses on the full range of needs of preschool- and kindergarten-aged children and provides a framework for improving program quality. The tool measures both environmental provisions and teacher-child interactions that affect the broad developmental needs of young children, including cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and health and safety needs. ECERS subscales evaluate space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and literacy, learning activities, interaction, and program structure. ECERS relies on observation, has established reliability and validity, and is suitable for use in inclusive and culturally diverse programs.

WEB: https://www.ersi.info/scales.html

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/ers

Frequently Asked Questions

A FAQ document is a list of recurring questions and answers relating to a particular subject, especially one giving basic information for users of a website.

Family Child Care

FCC in Wisconsin can be either licensed or certified. Licensed Family Child Care Centers are programs regulated under DCF 250 where a person provides care and supervision for less than 24 hours per day to between 4 and 8 children under 7 years of age. See LFAM for more information.

Some child care providers who are not required to be licensed may choose to be certified. Certification is a type of regulation with fewer standards and less training than that required of licensed providers. Certified Family Child Care providers are regulated under DCF 202. They provide care and supervision for less than 24 hours per day for no more than 3 children under age 7 with a maximum group size of 6, including the provider’s own children under age 7. Certification is administered by county or tribal agencies.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/publications/pdf/2436.pdf

Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale

The FCCERS program assessment tool is used for defining and assessing quality in family child care programs working to earn a 4 Star or 5 Star rating in YoungStar, Wisconsin's quality rating and improvement system. FCCERS focuses on the full range of needs in family child care programs serving all ages of children from birth to 12. The scale assesses both environmental provisions and provider-child interactions that contribute to children’s learning and development, including language, cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development, as well as concerns for health and safety. FCCERS subscales evaluate space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and books, activities, interaction, and program structure. FCCERS relies on observation, has established reliability and validity, and is suitable for use in inclusive and culturally diverse programs.

WEB: https://www.ersi.info/index.html

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/ers

Federal Employer Identification Number

A FEIN (also known as an EIN) is a unique, nine-digit number used by the IRS to identify a business operating in the United States. In WIsconsin, all child care providers that accept families using Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy must provide a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), also known as a FEIN or Social Security Number (SSN) to the EBT vendor, Fidelity National Information Services (FIS). FIS will send an IRS Form 1099-MISC on or before January 31 of each year to all child care providers that received more than $600 in Wisconsin Shares subsidy in the previous tax year.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/manuals/wishares-cc-manual

Formal Rating

An FR is a type of rating in YoungStar used if a provider is interested in attaining a 4 Star or 5 Star rating. An FR requires the child care program to have an Environment Rating Scale (ERS) observation performed within some of its classrooms by a well-trained ERS Observer from YoungStar. ERS tools provide an overall picture of the environment that has been created within an early childhood setting.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/ers

Intentional Program Violation

An intentional program violation is considered to have occurred when an individual or individuals knowingly, willingly, and with deceitful intent: makes a false or misleading statement, or misrepresents, conceals, or withholds facts in order to obtain Wisconsin Shares Child Care benefits which they are not entitled to receive.

Infant and Toddler

In Wisconsin an infant is defined as a child under the age of one and a toddler is defined as a child aged between 1 and 2. Many times infants and toddlers are grouped toghether to define practices, polices and environments for children under the age of 3.

Licensed Day Camp

A child care program that provides care and supervision to 4 or more children age 3 and older in a seasonal program oriented to the out-of-doors for less than 24 hours a day. LCMPs are regulated under Wisconsin Administrative Code DCF 252.

YoungStar documents refer to day camps as Short-Term Operational Programs.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/rules

Licensed Family Child Care

A child care program that provides care and supervision for less than 24 hours a day for at least 4 and not more than 8 children who are not related to the provider. LFAMs are regulated under Wisconsin Administrative Code DCF 250.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/rules

Licensed Group Child Care

A child care program that provides care and supervision for less than 24 hours a day for 9 or more children who are not related to the provider. LGRPs are regulated under Wisconsin Administrative Code DCF 251.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/rules

Milwaukee Early Care Administration

The Bureau of MECA, in the Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) works to mainitain the integrity of child care subsidy dollars spent in Milwaukee County and to promote excellence in early childhood care and education in Milwaukee County. MECA aims to ensure that Milwaukee residents have access to affordable, high-quality child care that enhances children’s development and supports low-income families’ ability to work. Authorization for child care subsidies and certain program integrity activities are provided by MECA. DCF contracts with the Department of Health Services (DHS) for basic eligibility determination for Milwaukee County residents applying for Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy assistance.

WEB: https://dcfweb/childcare/mke

My Wisconsin Child Care

The MyWIChildCare system streamlines how eligible families pay for quality child care services using their approved Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy funds. Parents are offered the option to pay using an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, their Parent Portal online, or by phone.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/mywichildcare

Public Assistance Collection Section

PACS is responsible for collecting overpayments of public assistance benefits. It provides collection services for public assistance programs including: AFDC, Child Care, FoodShare, Job Access Loans, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, Badger Care, Badger Care Plus, Senior Care and W-2.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/pacu/aboutus

Program Administration Scale

The PAS reliably measures the leadership and management practices of center-based early care and education programs. The tool includes 25 items clustered in 10 subscales to reflect best practices in early childhood program administration. The PAS can be used for program self-improvement, technical assistance and monitoring, research and evaluation, and public awareness.

WEB: https://mccormickcenter.nl.edu/library/program-administration-scale-pas-2nd-ed

Program Integrity

PI is a process designed to enforce compliance and integrity of the Wisconsin Shares and YoungStar programs by monitoring, investigating, and recovering misapplied funds. The Program Integrity Section in DCF-BCCSA supports local agencies in their program integrity efforts, providing policy and procedural guidance, as well as assisting with monitoring, investigating, and recovering misapplied funds.

WEB: https://dcfweb/childcare/wishares

Provisionally Certified Child Care Provider

A PROV is a certification applicant who has not yet met preservice training requirements. Provisional certification can be granted for up to 6 months and may not be renewed or extended. New PROVs are required to complete department-approved preservice training within 3 months after Provisional certification is granted or they will be out of compliance. If they do not complete the department-approved preservice training by the Provisional category expiration date (not to exceed 6 months) the certification ends.

DCF Child Care Certification Policy Manual, Section 4.0 Preservice Training Requirements - Effective 4/1/18:

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/manuals/cc-cert-manual

Program Support Teacher

A PST serves as a liaison and support for special education and general education teachers and principals. The primary responsibility of the PST is to assist with the effective implementation of the Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for special education students.

WEB: https://www.cesa6.org/services/pst/index.cfm

Quality Improvement Plan

A QIP helps providers self-assess their performance in delivering quality education and care, and plan future improvements. Developing a QIP is a required step in the YoungStar process for programs aiming to earn a 3 Star or higher rating. The QIP serves as a guide for how the program will spend funds, prioritize staff time, determine curriculum and instructional practices, and choose staff development.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/resources

School-Age

Wisconsin Administrative Code DCF 251.03(27) defines “school-age child” as a child 5 years of age or older who is enrolled in a public school or a parochial or other private school.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/ccregulation/cclicensing/commentary/251-03.pdf

School-Age Environment Rating Scale

The SACERS program assessment tool is used for defining and assessing quality in both public and private group child care settings serving children 5 through 12 years of age during out-of-school time. The tool is used in Formal Ratings of programs trying to earn a 4 Star or 5 Star rating in YoungStar, Wisconsin's quality rating and improvement system. SACERS consists of 47 items organized in seven categories ̶ space and furnishings, health and safety, activities, interactions, program structure, staff development, and special needs supplementary items ̶ to evaluate a program’s process quality. SACERS relies on observation and has established reliability and validity. SACERS-U, the updated edition, was published in 2014.

WEB: https://www.ersi.info/index.html

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/ers

Sign In/Sign Out

A SISO sheet is a form that a parent or guardian and/or child care provider can use for tracking attendance by having a signature at arrival and another at departure. This is also referred to as your daily attendance record.

Technical Assistance

TA is the provision of targeted and customized supports by a professional with subject-matter and adult learning knowledge and skills to develop or strengthen processes, knowledge application, or implementation of services by recipients. Mentoring, coaching, consultation, professional development (PD) counseling, and peer-to-peer TA are strategies that may be discrete processes or used as part of education and/or training programs.

WEB: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/CPlinkedDocs/WI_TTAP_Competenciesfinal5_1_15.pdf

Technical Consultant

Pre-licensing and YoungStar TCs work for Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA) with funding from DCF. Pre-licensing TCs provide necessary technical assistance to help potential providers prepare their policies, facility and application for licensure as agreed with the State of Wisconsin. YoungStar TCs provide optional one-on-one technical consultation to support YoungStar participants in improving their program and/or getting ready for a rating.

See WI Registry

Technical Rating (in YoungStar)

A rating option in YoungStar for child care providers that incorporates onsite interviews, a provider self-assessment, and co-operation in building a plan to improve quality. Providers can earn a 3 Star rating by demonstrating how quality indicators are being met for their program.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/rating-criteria

Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

WECA is a statewide, nonprofit organization serving as a professional association whose members care for and educate well over 70% of Wisconsin’s children ages birth to eight. WECA works to advance positive change for children by strengthening the capacities of child care professionals through a variety of services including the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship and REWARD stipend programs, the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network, conferences and trainings, and a food program. WECA also advocates for policies and programs that support the well-being of children and early childhood educators. WECA is an affiliate of the National Association for the Education for Young Children (NAEYC).

WEB: https://wisconsinearlychildhood.org

Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners

WECCP was started in 1994. It focuses on collaboration among diverse early childhood partners. It exists now as a “braided” funding effort among three state agencies: Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Department of Health Services (DHS). The WECCP website serves as the collaborative source of information on issues of cross-sector interest, state initiatives, and research-based practices.

The WECCP listserv - https://dpi.wi.gov/early-childhood/programs/listservs - is designed to facilitate interactive, electronic communication among agencies, associations, and individuals providing services to Wisconsin’s young children (birth to age 8) and their families. The focus of this listserv is on state, community and interagency efforts to improve service delivery approaches for young children and their families.

Information on community approaches to serving children is available at:

http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/family-community-engagement/4k-community-approaches

Information on curriculum is available at:

http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/learning-experiences

Information on screening and assessment is available at:

http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/screening-assessment

WEB: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com

Wisconsin Family Child Care Association

WFCCA is a statewide organization of family child care providers and their supporters, formed to provide support, involvement, and communication with others in the profession. The goal of the Association is to help maintain the high quality of care that promotes the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development of children by:

• Promoting the awareness of family child care as a viable choice in child care.

• Promoting awareness of the professionalism of family child care.

• Providing an opportunity for input into laws concerning children.

• Providing a statewide information/assistance network.

• Providing an opportunity for involvement, support, and communication with

others.

WEB: https://wisconsinfamilychildcare.org

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

DCF is a Wisconsin governmental agency responsible for providing services to assist children and families, including services for children in need of protection or services for their families, adoption and foster care services, licensing of facilities that care for children, background investigations of child caregivers, refugee family services, and child abuse and neglect investigations.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Division of Early Care and Education

DECE’s mission is to support low-income working families by sharing the cost of child care and to promote the social well-being of all children and families through safe, high-quality early education experiences.

DECE houses Child Care Licensing and Certification, Milwaukee County Child Care Administration, the YoungStar Program, Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Administration, and Operations and Planning. DECE aims to provide access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education experiences, to enhance our children's development, and to support their families in work and parenting roles.

DECE supervises activities that are administered through contracts with local or county agencies while assuring the continued development and implementation of statewide policies and procedures. These programs work together to support functionality and efficient implementation of initiatives such as licensing and certification, quality improvement, fraud detection and investigation. and child care subsidy.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/about-us

Wisconsin Department of Health Services

DHS is a Wisconsin governmental agency responsible for protecting and promoting the health and safety of the people of Wisconsin. DHS oversees Medicaid and other health and social service programs. It works with local counties, health care providers, community partners, and others to provide alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, mental health, public health, implementation of long-term care, disability determination, regulation of state nursing homes, and numerous other programs. DHS also oversees seven 24/7 institutions: three centers for the developmentally disabled; a facility for mentally ill inmates; two psychiatric hospitals; and a facility for treating sexually violent persons.

WEB: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/

Wisconsin Registry

The Wisconsin Registry is a career level system which awards a certificate verifying that an individual has met all State of Wisconsin, Department of Children and Family Services approved, entry-level training requirements and is qualified for the early care and education position that s/he holds. Additional credit-based training is categorized by core knowledge areas as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The Registry encourages professional development by defining set goals and recognizes the attainment of those goals by individuals. The Registry has developed specialized professional credentials and awards completion of the credential to those individuals who have met all prescribed goals.

Resource and support materials related to Wisconsin Registry services are available at: https://the-registry.org/ResourceCenter.aspx

WEB: https://www.the-registry.org

Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program Wisconsin Shares is a child care subsidy program that aims to support low-income working families by subsidizing a portion of the cost of quality child care while the parents or caregivers are working or participating in another approved activity. Low-income working families with children under the age of 13 may be eligible for Wisconsin Shares. If a child has a special need, the child may remain eligible until the child’s 19th birthday. Wisconsin Shares is implemented locally by counties and tribes. DCF-BCCSA provides management, development, coordination, and program integrity of public child care assistance to families.

WEB: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/wishares

YoungStar

YoungStar is Wisconsin’s Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). It sets a five-star rating system for child care providers based on the quality components of educational qualifications, learning environment and curriculum, business practices, and health and well-being of children. YoungStar drives quality improvement in child care throughout the state by: 1) helping providers who want to improve the quality of their care, 2) creating financial incentives that encourage providers to deliver better services to children, 3) giving parents the meaningful information they need to make informed child care decisions for their children, and 4) supporting ongoing child care quality improvement by linking higher quality care to higher Wisconsin Shares subsidy amounts and YoungStar Quality Adjustments. YoungStar helps child care providers succeed by offering a clear path to improvement, including training programs, technical assistance, an objective measure of program quality, and other resources.

Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA) manages YoungStar across the state. Local administration of YoungStar occurs through 12 Local YoungStar Offices. Contact information is available at: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/program/localoffice

The Star ratings of child care programs may be seen on the Child Care Finder search site at: https://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov

WEB: https://www.dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar