Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration

Wisconsin Shares Handbook

17.1.2 Continuity of Care Authorizations

During the 12-month eligibility period, an authorization assessment must be completed when an authorization is written to an expected change (see 15.3) or when certain changes are reported.

For all reported changes not listed in Section 17.1.1, the authorized hours must be based on continuity of care. Reported changes include but are not limited to:

A change in the number of child care hours required to allow the parent(s) to participate in their approved activities, including travel between the child care provider and the location of the activity
A change in the overlapping activity schedules of two-parent families
When a school-age child transitions from the end of the school year to summer break
A change in a child’s shared placement schedule
Any change that results in a change in child care need, except when the child care need no longer aligns with the provider’s hours of operation which will require an authorization to be based on the assessment results (see 17.1.1)

When the agency worker completes an assessment during the 12-month eligibility period and the assessment indicates a reduction in hours, the parent may:

Choose an authorization for the reduced hours
Maintain the original number of authorized hours
Request an authorization for any number of hours between the original authorized hours and the new assessment results

If the parent chooses the reduced hour authorization or any number of hours between the original authorized hours and the new assessment results, the agency worker must document the conversation and the parent’s choice for a reduced authorization in case comments (see 12.2).

If at any time the parent informs the agency worker that the child will attend the child care provider for fewer hours than are currently authorized, the agency worker must create a new reduced authorization that aligns with the parent’s request. Parents are required to report when they have a change in child care need (see 10.1). This includes reporting when the number of days or hours that the Assistance Group needs child care has changed.

Example 1: Annabelle works at Main Street Café from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. She has an authorization for 30 hours per week including travel time. In June, she reports that her work hours have changed to 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Annabelle is not planning to change child care providers. The agency worker completes an authorization assessment and finds the assessment results in 25 hours per week, including travel time. The agency worker asks Annabelle if she would like to keep her original authorized hours or if she would like to decrease to 25 hours per week. Annabelle chooses the reduction. The agency worker documents this conversation and the decision in case comments and completes the authorization.

Example 2: Cassie works at Plastics Manufacturing from 7 a.m. to noon. She has an authorization for her baby, Renee, for 27 hours per week, including breaks and travel time. In January, Cassie reports her work hours have changed to 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The agency worker completes an authorization assessment with her new schedule and finds the assessment results in 22 hours per week, including breaks and travel time. The agency worker asks Cassie if she would like to keep the 27-hour authorization or if she would like to decrease to the 22-hour authorization. Cassie indicates that she would like to keep the 27-hour authorization. The agency worker uses the “Copy From Prior Authorization” button and completes the authorization.

If the parent chooses to keep the original number of hours, the parent must intend to send their child to the provider for those authorized hours. For policy on how continuity of care applies to school-age children and school closed hours, see Section 16.1.2.2.2. If the parent consistently sends the child to their provider for significantly fewer hours but makes a full subsidy payment to the provider for the full number of hours, the local agency may conduct an investigation to determine if a parent error occurred.

Example 3: Roxanne loses her job and is placed in an Approved Activity Search Period (ACTS). She tells her agency worker that she would like to continue sending her children to child care using the same schedule as when she was working (40 hours per week). The agency worker leaves her current authorization in place. However, Roxanne only takes her children to child care for 10 hours per week and continues paying the child care provider the same full-time amount. Roxanne is required to report a change in child care need and her case must be evaluated by the local agency to determine if a parent error occurred.

Parents have the option to use authorization hours during whichever time they prefer if the provider is open and regulated during that time.

Example 4: Mariana has an authorization for her child, Paulo. Mariana is working third shift when she loses her job, and Paulo’s authorization is for overnight care. Mariana contacts the local agency, and the agency worker updates the Approved Activity Status in CWW to ACTS. The agency worker does not need to update Paulo’s authorization. Mariana can continue using the same number of authorized hours to send Paulo to child care during the day while she looks for a job. Mariana will need to work out the child care schedule with her child care provider.

This section last updated 12/1/2022