April 14 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. Two Days Left to Apply or Update Your Child Care Counts Application! Time is running out to apply/update your information for the April Child Care Counts program. The deadline is Friday, April 15 at 11:59 p.m. You must: Log-in to your Child Care Provider Portal account immediately and complete your review/update. Indicate if you were open during the Count Week and update your staff and child records as needed. Complete monthly updates to the number of children and staff employed during the Application/Update Week, per the Terms and Conditions of the program. If your application(s) status is “Review Needed” this means that you have not completed your update/review. The application status should show as “Submitted” for any applications that have been reviewed and updated as needed during Update Week. Verify all required information and hit “Submit” on the last page of your application. Your application status will change from Review Needed to Submitted once you have completed your updates. Check your email address to ensure you have correctly entered it while you are updating your application. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov. If you are unable to email, please leave your detailed message at 608-535-3650. The call center is experiencing high call volumes. We will respond to your question as soon as possible. Email is recommended for a faster response. Please be sure to include your provider ID, location number, and details about your question when calling or emailing. Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Never applied for Child Care Counts? Now is the time to apply in the Child Care Provider Portal so you don’t miss out on funds! Once your initial application is approved, as long as you maintain eligibility, you simply need to complete monthly updates to receive ongoing payments. You will not need to complete the entire application process every month. Contact the Call Center if you have questions. Reminder All Stabilization Payment Program funds must be spent within 120 days of the date of the Payment Letter. December Payments (Payment Letter date 1/7/22) must be spent by 5/7/22. See the Use of Funds section of the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. 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 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. Child Care Counts Información en español. Upcoming American Indian Studies Events with DPI and Partners The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - American Indian Studies Program, in partnership with CESA 12, is offering online book studies for early childhood staff, K-12 staff, institutions of higher learning and partners to continue our personal and professional work, with a focus on American Indian studies and education. Join them in an Online Study Circles Conversations: American Indian Studies and the exploration of specially selected texts as a foundation for the group conversation and discussion on various Indigenous topics and issues. *Individuals may only register for ONE of the four of the Online Study Circles Conversations for spring 2022. View upcoming events. Cost of Care Survey Closes April 30 – Return Yours Today Several months ago, you received a Cost of Care survey from your CCR&R. We are gathering this information to better understand the costs associated with providing child care. You will not be audited as a result of filling out this survey. Your honest information will help us understand the true cost of child care. The April 30 deadline is quickly approaching. If you haven’t already completed your survey due so now. Got questions? Contact your local CCR&R. New Funding Opportunity for ECE Workforce Apprenticeship Programs On February 23, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced their Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) Grant Program which provides opportunities for workers to “learn while they earn” in priority, in-demand industries, including child care, Head Start and other early learning settings. Approximately $113 million in ABA grant funding is available to expand and strengthen the Registered Apprenticeship Programs through support for public and private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals. The funding opportunity closes April 25, 2022, and eligible applicants include nonprofits, labor organizations, public and state institutes of higher education, and county governments (for a complete list of eligibility requirements, see the FOA linked below). Learn more and apply for this program online. Reminder: Improving Business Practices for Family Child Care Providers The Office of Child Care’s National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance is partnering with Tom Copeland on three upcoming webinars on improving business practices for family child care (FCC) providers. Register for the webinars today! Who Should Attend The webinars are intended for FCC providers, who will learn about marketing, legal and insurance issues, and money management/retirement for their FCC business. Business of Family Child Care: Legal and Insurance Issues With Tom CopelandApril 20, 2022, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (EDT) FCC providers will learn how to protect the children in their care, their property, and themselves. The content includes: Self-protection checklist to help reduce risks Homeowner and business property insurance Business liability and car insurance Legal issues: Custody disputes, price-fixing, and privacy Register for the April 20 webinar. Business of Family Child Care: Money Management/Retirement With Tom CopelandMay 4, 2022, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (EDT) FCC providers will learn how to save more money for retirement and will learn how to invest using the various IRA plans available. The content includes the following: Identify ways to reduce expenses Recognize where to put money to meet short- and long-term goals Learn how to prioritize long-term financial goals Understand the five basic rules of retirement planning Gain knowledge about IRA retirement plans for providers (e.g., traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SIMPLE, SEP) Register for the May 4 webinar. Reminder: Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in ECE Facilities After Temporary or Prolonged Closures Building closures lasting for weeks or months result in reduced water usage. This reduced usage can lead to stagnant water inside building plumbing and water coolers. Take proactive steps to protect the health of children and staff by flushing water prior to reopening. For more information and steps for maintaining water quality, be sure to review and use the resources below. EPA Resources Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in Buildings with Low or No Use Restoring Water Quality in Buildings for Reopening Checklist CDC Resources Reopening Buildings After Prolonged Shutdown or Reduced Operation Lead and Copper in Building Systems with Low or No Use Legionella and Other Biofilm-Associated Bacteria 5 Steps to Minimize Mold Risk During and After a Prolonged Shutdown If you have questions, please contact your licensing specialist or certification worker.
