Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
An agency worker must assess an Assistance Group’s child care need (see 16.1) and the authorization must be based on the assessment results at all the following times unless the parent is in an Activity Break Period:
Initial eligibility
Annual renewal
When the parent selects a new provider
When school-age children transition from summer break to the fall school year
When an eligible adult or minor teen parent is added to the case
When one (1) calendar month or more has passed since the parent’s previous authorization ended
At the end of the 24-month education time limit (see 5.1.2.5)
When the child care needs no longer align with the provider’s hours of operation
Agency workers must not reduce authorization hours while the parent is in an Activity Break Period unless the parent requests fewer hours.
If a reported change is not one (1) of the above situations, or if the parent is in an Activity Break Period, the Continuity of Care Authorizations policy (see 17.1.2) must be followed.
Agency workers must correct an error in authorization, even if the error results in a lower number of authorized hours.
| Example 1 (More than one (1) calendar month): Jessie has two (2) school-aged children. The authorizations for both children began on January 1 and end on May 31. Jessie does not need child care during the month of June because the children will visit their grandparents that month. However, Jessie needs child care authorizations beginning on July 15. Jessie’s worker must complete an authorization assessment before the July 15 authorizations are written and the authorized hours must be based on this assessment because more than one (1) calendar month has passed since the previous authorizations ended. |
| Example 2 (Fall school year transition): From July 15 through August 31, Arturo’s school-aged children need full-time child care. When school starts in September, the agency worker completes an authorization assessment. The authorization for the school year must be based on the assessment results because the children are transitioning from summer break to the fall school year. |
| Example 3 (ACTS-Second parent moves into the home): Roberta is in an ACTS period when Jackson, the biological parent of her child, moves into the home. Roberta and Jackson’s child, Craig, has an authorization for 35 hours per week. Jackson has an approved activity of working 20 hours per week. Since Roberta is in an ACTS period, the agency worker does not update the authorization. Jackson’s availability will be considered the next time an authorization must be based on the assessment results. If Roberta requests fewer hours because Jackson is now able to care for Craig, the authorized hours can be reduced based on her request. |
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Example 4 (TBRK-Provider change): Lauren is working 40 hours per week and her child, Kalie, has an authorization to ABC Child Care Center for when Lauren is working. Change 1 (Decrease in hours, continuity of care): In January, Lauren’s work hours decrease to 20 hours per week. She calls to report this change. The agency worker determines that this is only a decrease in work hours and the criteria for the authorization to be based on the assessment results are not met. The agency worker asks if she would like to maintain the same number of hours for Kalie’s authorization. Lauren chooses to maintain Kalie’s authorization at 40 hours per week. The agency worker documents the conversation in case comments and does not update the authorization. Change 2 (Temporary break, maintain hours): In March, Lauren goes on maternity leave. A TBRK period is entered for April 1 – June 30. Lauren chooses to maintain Kalie’s authorization at 40 hours per week while she is on maternity leave. The agency worker leaves the current authorization in place and documents the conversation in case comments. Change 3 (Change providers): In April, Lauren decides that she wants to change providers for May. The agency worker ends the current authorization for April 30 and creates a new authorization to Julie’s Jumpin’ Beans beginning May 1. Because she is in a TBRK period when hours cannot be decreased unless the parent requests a decrease, the agency worker asks if she would like to maintain the same number of hours for Kalie’s authorization. Lauren chooses to maintain Kalie’s authorization at 40 hours per week. The agency worker documents the conversation in case comments and does not update the authorization. |
| Example 5 (ACTS-Fall school year transition): Nora is in an ACTS period from July 1 – September 30. Her child, Phillip, had an authorization for 40 hours per week when she lost her job and she requested that the authorization continue during the ACTS period. Phillip is starting school in-person on September 9. Nora calls to request a part-time authorization for the school year for Philip to attend the after-school program at the child care provider. The agency worker creates a part-time authorization because Nora requested the decreased hours. |
| Example 6 (TBRK-Fall school year transition): Ben is in a TBRK period from August 1 – October 31. His child, Ethan, had an authorization for 30 hours per week when he began his temporary break and Ben requested to continue the full-time authorization during the break. Ben uses these hours during evenings and weekends. Ethan returns to school on September 5. Because Ben uses these hours during evenings and weekends, not during the typical school day, the authorization does not need to be reduced for the transition from summer to the fall school year. If Ben is continuing this arrangement during the school year, he does not need to report when Ethan begins school because he has not had a change in child care need. |
This section last updated 11/1/2024