April 18 Child Care Provider Updates

Child Care Counts April Application Period Begins Next Week April 24-28

The next update/application period starts Monday, April 24-28, 2023. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. April Count Week is April 9-22. Get your records organized so you are ready for update/application week on Monday. You must review and update your application every month.

Applications for the March payments were reviewed, and providers were notified of their eligibility for funds on April 14, 2023, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal.

Reminder – Non-Standard Hours Add-On

This add-on amount is given to eligible providers in addition to the Per-Child Amount for each child included in the application who attended 20 or more hours of care during non-standard hours across the Count Week.

To receive the Non-Standard Hours add-on, providers must be regulated to provide care during non-standard hours, and children must be attending 20 or more hours of care during non-standard hours during the Count Week. Care provided between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays, or any care provided on Saturday or Sunday is considered care during non-standard hours.

Be sure to carefully review your Child Care Counts application for children who are marked ‘yes’ as attending 20 hours or more of non-standard hours. Review your attendance records to only include the amount of time the child attended during non-standard hours.

Please see the Non-Standard Hours Add-On section of the Frequently Asked Questions on the Child Care Counts webpage for more information.

Spending Deadline Reminder

All Stabilization Payment Program funds must be spent within 120 days from the date of the payment letter. See the Use of Funds section of the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. December 2022 funds must be spent by May 13, 2023.

Child Care Counts Round 3 Begins May 2023

The Round 3 Application Week is May 20 – June 4. See the Round 3 – May 2023 section of the Child Care Counts webpage for more information, including Terms and Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions.

Attend the Tuesday Talks with DECE for more information on Round 3. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650.

Child Care Counts Información en español.

Resources to Help With Your Partner Up! Application

The Partner Up! grant program provides funding to support partnerships between businesses who purchase slots at existing regulated child care providers. The various Partner Up! cohorts have been funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act (CRRSA), the Preschool Development Grant (PDG), and Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training (QUEST).

Who Should Apply:

Businesses with two or more employees
Regulated child care providers who want to help sponsor the cost of their employees’ child care

Note: Governmental entities are not eligible for Partner Up! grants.

There are resources on the Partner Up! webpage that will help you apply. At the bottom of the page, you can expand the accordions to view:

Cohort 3 application criteria
Scoring criteria and priority consideration
Funding distribution by region
The monthly true cost of care table
A sample survey that employers can send their employees to gauge child care needs
Frequently asked questions
Application previews for both newly contracting businesses and businesses renewing contracts
- Note: The application preview documents are for informational purposes only. Please apply using the button below.

As a reminder, if you only want to partner with a business to provide care for children through Partner Up!, you DO NOT need to submit a Partner Up! application. Instead, you should contact your local CCR&R to let them know you are interested in accepting families for Partner Up!

If you are interested in reducing the cost of care for your own employees, then you needed to submit a Partner Up! application for your child care business.

Partner Up! Webinar Now Available on Demand

DCF recently held a webinar to kick-off the application window for the third cohort of Partner Up! This webinar was recorded and is now available for on demand viewing on the Partner Up! webpage.

Ver instrucciones para subtítulos en español.

The competitive application period for Cohort 3 of the Partner Up! grant program is now open! Submit your application by May 12, 2023, at 5 p.m. CST.

Learn more about Partner Up! and submit your application on the DCF website.

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

If you have questions, please contact your licensing specialist or certification worker.

Wisconsin Shares Program Integrity Training for Providers

A free training video about Wisconsin Shares program integrity for Wisconsin child care providers is available! As a child care provider, in order to be eligible to receive Wisconsin Shares, you must be certified or licensed, and participate in the YoungStar quality rating system.

There are various rules in place to ensure that child care subsidy is available for those who need it and that the funds are being spent and paid out appropriately. Provider program integrity ensures that those rules are followed, and it includes prevention, monitoring, and identification of improper payments and fraud of the Wisconsin Shares program. Watch the Wisconsin Shares program integrity training video or download the Provider Program Integrity Training booklet (DCF-P-5484).

For questions about Wisconsin Shares policies, please contact your local agency.