April 7 Child Care Provider Updates During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will send updates to everyone who has subscribed to the DCF Child Care listserv. April 11-15 – is Child Care Counts Application/Update Period The April application/update period is next week, April 11-15, 2022. Prepare to update your staff and child records as needed next week. You will be notified of your eligibility for March funds by Friday, April 8, 2022, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. Application Tip Determining Full-time or Part-time Status for Children Children’s schedules can vary from week to week. Do I need to count the hours each child attends during the Count Week to determine full-time or part-time status? Providers should use enrollment information to determine if a child should be entered in the application as attending full-time or part-time. If a child is enrolled on a full-time basis (21 hours or more per-week), they should be entered into the application as full-time. If a child is enrolled on a part-time basis (20 hours or less per-week), they should be entered into the application as part-time. If a child only attends “drop-in” care and there is no formal agreement/contract to determine a regular schedule of attendance, providers will need to determine if they meet the full-time or part-time definition based on the hours the child actually attended during the Count Week. Regardless of full-time or part-time status, a child must have attended at least once during the Count Week to be added to the application. What’s New? View this step-by-step Spending Tool training video to learn tips and tricks for organizing and tracking how you spend your Child Care Counts You may download the Spending Tool Excel spreadsheet (see Tools Section below) to help you keep track of how you spent Child Care Counts funds. Other Helpful Tools and Resources See the Temporary Closure Guide to learn how to select the appropriate COVID-19 Temporary Closure reason if your center was closed during the Count Week. How Payments are Determined shows the March payment dates and amounts. See the Provider Informational Training Module in the Resources section as your all-in-one guide to Child Care Counts. See the FAQs about YoungStar Quality Incentive payments through Child Care Counts. Reminder: Child Care Counts Stabilization Payment Program funds must be spent within 120 days of receipt. November 2021 payments (payment letter date December 10, 2021) must be spent by April 9, 2022. If you need help or have questions about your Payment Program status, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Check out our recently updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to get answers to your questions. Child Care Counts Información en español. Reminder: Important Background Check Reminders Ensure your center’s background check information is up to date in the Child Care Provider Portal! Family Child Care Programs Do you have household members who are age 10 or older? Everyone residing in your home who is at least 10 years old must be added in the Child Care Provider Portal and have a Background Check Request form submitted. Summer Programs and Day Camps Summertime is almost here. As you plan for your summer hires, be sure to remember background checks. Child care workers must have at least preliminary background check eligibility before they begin working. Be prepared for the summer season by entering all new staff in the Child Care Provider Portal and submitting background check request forms. Employees under age 18 are only required to have name-based background checks. They will need to submit fingerprints when they turn 18. Also, staff who reside in other states are required to have annual fingerprint background checks. They can submit fingerprints in Wisconsin or in their home state at the nearest Fieldprint location. Questions? If you have background check questions, you can: Go online and read the DCF background check web page Call the CBU at 608-422-7400 Email the CBU at DCFPlicBECRCBU@wisconsin.gov Reminder: DHS Mask Stockpile Now Open to Child Care Providers Regulated child care providers who need of multi-layer or KN-95 masks for children age four to 12 can now contact their local public health department to make a request from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) stockpile. Masks will be provided for current enrollment only and while supplies last. If you have any questions, please contact your local public health department. Reminder: Ensure Your Child Care Provider Portal Information is Accurate Child care providers are reminded to regularly update their program’s information in the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP) to ensure the individuals listed include only current or prospective employees or household members. DCF conducts ongoing compliance monitoring based on information entered in the Portal, so accuracy is important. Inaccurate information also may impact eligibility for potential funding opportunities in the future. For more information about updating your CCPP account, review the Child Care Provider Portal Tip Sheet. If your center closed due to COVID-19, see the Temporary Closure Guide for instructions on selecting the appropriate COVID-19 Closure Reason. If you have questions, please contact your licensing or certification specialist. You can also contact the Child Care Background Unit by email to DCFPlicBECRCBU@wisconsin.gov or by calling 608-422-7400.
