December 20 Child Care Provider Updates Please note that we will not be sending any listserv messages during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Our regular messaging schedule will resume on January 3, 2023. This Week is Child Care Counts Update/Application Week – Dec. 19-23 This week, December 19-23, is the December Child Care Counts Update/Application Week. Update your child attendance and staff records so you don’t miss out on any funding. Update/Application Week Reminders You must review, update, and resubmit your application every month. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. Be sure to carefully review the child and staff lists for attendance and payroll status during the Count Week and hit “submit” once you have completed your review/update. If you do not wish to receive payments, you must withdraw your application during Update Week. Watch the How to Apply Video to view step-by-step instructions on how to submit a new Review the Updating Your Child Care Counts Information During Update Week video to learn how to make application modifications during Update Week. If you need assistance, email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Child Care Counts Información en español. Child Care Provider Vacation Closures Families may use Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy to pay for one week of provider vacation closure once per calendar year. State government legal holidays are excluded from the one week of closure. Providers can retain payments for state government legal holidays. The state government legal holidays can be found at Wis. Stat. s. 230.35(4)(a). An Operations Memo and Wisconsin Shares Handbook revision are forthcoming. Setting Up Routines Webinar on January 11 Learn to create routines for your family to provide comfort and security for children that can help lead to better behavior and increased cooperation! The Parents Place is hosting this free virtual webinar on Wednesday, January 11 from 5:30-7 p.m. Register Today! For more information, contact the Parents Place at 262-579-5575. Behavioral Health Series: Naming and Taming Emotions Those working in the out-of-school time, child care, and youth development industries do not have to look at the official statistics to know that the children you serve and the colleagues you work with are experiencing increased challenges related to mental health. At a time when real-time support is needed more than ever, Wisconsin Afterschool Network (WAN) and Marshfield Clinic Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Department, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), is answering this call by creating a variety of learning materials and hands-on tools throughout the 2023 and 2024 calendar years. Register today and join us for our first topic webinar: Naming and Taming Emotions Presented by Dr. Kelsi Offenwanger, Clinical Psychologist January 27, 2023 | 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Free Child Care Foundational Training Available! DCF and our training instructor partners have listened to your requests for accessible and affordable training and support. Earlier this year, In response to the workforce shortage in child care, we announced that free Child Care Foundational Training is available. Individuals who began one of the courses listed below on or after June 1, 2022, are eligible for this program. The Child Care Foundational Training courses covers the following noncredit trainings delivered in person or in an interactive online or interactive correspondence format: Introduction to the Child Care Profession Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care Fundamentals of Family Child Care Skills and Strategies for the Child Care Teacher See DCF's website for more information, a media bundle, and FAQs, including which training agencies offer these courses and how you can sign up.
