Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
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, or when the parent reports a change listed in Section 17.1.1 but is in an Activity Break Period, 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)
Following the reported change, 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 to maintain authorized hours, the agency worker must document the reported change in case comments but must not update the authorization (see 17.1). 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 part-time when they have a full-time authorization, or less than 50 hours when they have an above full-time authorization, 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). If a parent reports a change in hours that is still within part-time or within full-time, agency workers must document the reported change in case comments but must not update the authorization (see 17.1).
| Example 1: Annabelle works at Main Street Café 25 hours each week. She has an authorization for 30 hours per week which includes travel time. In June, she reports that her work hours have decreased to 15 hours per week. Annabelle is not planning to change child care providers. The agency worker asks Annabelle if she would like to keep her original authorized hours or if she would like to decrease her authorization to part-time. Annabelle chooses the reduction. The agency worker documents this conversation and the decision in case comments and creates a new part-time authorization. |
| Example 2: Cassie works at Plastics Manufacturing 35 hours each week. She has an authorization for her baby, Renee, for 40 hours per week, which includes travel time. In January, Cassie reports her work hours have decreased to 22 hours per week. The agency worker documents this decrease in hours but does not update the authorization because 22 hours plus travel time is still a full-time authorization. |
| Example 3: Eric has an above full-time authorization for his child, Josiah, at 56 weekly hours because he has been working overtime. In February, he stops working overtime and changes to a standard 40 weekly hour schedule. He contacts the local agency to request a decreased authorization because he only sends Eric when he is working and does not need the additional funds for above full-time care. The local agency documents the conversation, including Eric’s choice for a reduction in authorized hours, and writes a new authorization based on the 40 weekly hours, including any travel time that Eric needs. |
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. 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 4: 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 5: 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 11/1/2024