Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
Authorizations must be written consecutively without any gaps during the 12-month eligibility period whenever possible. This includes time periods shorter than a calendar month when a child may not be attending the child care provider but is still enrolled, such as weekends or holidays.
Gaps between authorizations may occur when:
Child care is not needed
The child is not enrolled
The parent does not request an authorization
The parent requests not to have an authorization for a specific time period
If the parent requests a new authorization after there has been a gap of one (1) calendar month or more between authorizations, the agency worker must complete an authorization assessment and the authorized hours must be based on the assessment results (see 17.1.1).
| Example 1 (Weekends):
It is October 20 and Jeanette is requesting
an authorization to a new provider for her child, Sonja. Sonja’s
last day at Busy Bees Child Care will be Friday, November 13,
and she will be starting at Chicks and Chickadees Child Care on
Monday, November 16. The agency worker could either:
a) end the authorization to Busy Bees on Saturday, November 14, and start the new authorization to Chicks and Chickadees beginning Sunday, November 15; or b) end the authorization to Busy Bees on Sunday, November 15, and start the new authorization to Chicks and Chickadees beginning Monday, November 16. Regardless of the method, the agency worker includes the weekend in authorization begin and end dates to avoid a gap during an eligibility period. |
| Example 2 (Holiday): Dee has an authorization for her child, Nina. In November, Nina will not be attending the child care provider on Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving because Dee will not be working. However, the authorization should continue through November with no gaps because Nina is still enrolled and the time period is shorter than a calendar month. |
| Example 3 (Spring Break): Allan has an authorization for his school age child, Jolene. Spring break is the week of March 15 – March 20. Jolene does not need child care the week of March 15 – 20 because Allan is taking time off to spend with her. The authorization should continue through March, with no gaps, because Jolene is still enrolled, and the break is shorter than a calendar month. The agency worker does not end the authorization on the Friday of the last day of school and re-start the authorization on the Monday that school starts again. |
| Example 4 (Vacation-No Request): Leo has a summer authorization for his child, Ken, through August 15. His family will be taking a two-week vacation before school starts. Leo does not request a new authorization when the previous authorization ends. On September 4, Leo requests a backdated school-year authorization to start on September 1. These authorizations do not need to have consecutive dates because Leo did not request an authorization for the period between authorizations. |
| Example 5 (Vacation-Parent Requests Gap): Caroline has an authorization for her school age child, Raphael, until the end of the school year on June 8. Caroline calls to request an authorization for Raphael starting July 15, after he returns from a summer stay with his grandparents. She states that she does not need an authorization from June 9 – July 14. These authorizations do not need to have consecutive dates because the parent requested the gap between authorizations. |
| Example 6 (Not Enrolled-Changing Providers): Alex’s school age child, Noah, has a summer authorization at Amazing Apes Day Camp through Friday, August 28. School will begin Tuesday, September 8, and Noah will be attending Space Center Child Care during the school year. The agency worker ends the authorization to Amazing Apes on Friday, August 28, and writes a new authorization to Space Center beginning Tuesday, September 8. These authorizations do not need to have consecutive dates because Noah’s enrollment at Amazing Apes ends on August 28 (the last day of the day camp) and his new enrollment at Space Center does not start until September 8. The gap is allowed because Noah is not enrolled at either provider locations during the gap period. |
This section last updated 10/1/2023