April 25 Child Care Provider Updates

Update Your April Child Care Counts Application This Week: April 24-28

This week, April 24-28, is the April Child Care Counts Update/Application Week. 

Update/Application Week Reminders

  • You must review, update, and resubmit your application every month.
  • 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.
  • Review the Update Guide and Update Video to learn how to make application modifications during Update Week.

Reminder – Non-Standard Hours Add-On

  • 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.

Reminder: Child Care Counts Round 3 Begins May 2023

There are some important changes coming for Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program Round 3.

Here are some of the biggest changes for Round 3:

  1. There will be a significant decrease in funding for Round 3
  2. There is a new participation deadline – providers must be approved for funding during one of the first four months (May, June, July, or August) to be eligible for future payments (September-January)
  3. The Update Week has been extended for each month – this change is a result of provider feedback

In addition, there are several changes to the Allowable Use of Funds due to federal requirements for the Round 3 funding source. See the Child Care Counts webpage for highlights, and read the Round 3 Terms and Conditions for full details.

As we learn more, we are updating the website. Be sure to bookmark the website and check for updates. Here are a couple of important updates. Visit the Round 3 section on the Child Care Counts webpage for complete information.

See the April Tuesday Talks for some highlights of what is the same, and what is different for Round 3, as well as the Child Care Counts FAQs.

Did you miss the April Tuesday Talks with DECE? The link to the April 18 talk on Child Care Counts Round 3 is now available in the April 18, 2023, accordion on the Tuesday Talks with DECE webpage.

Tuesday Talks with DECE are held the third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next webinar is May 16 at 1:30 p.m. and we will discuss Child Care Counts Round 3 and YoungStar Updates. Visit the DCF Tuesday Talks with DECE webpage to access the Zoom link and learn about future topics.

Learn more about Tuesday Talks on the DCF website.

Spending Deadline Reminder

  • All Stabilization Payment Program funds must be spent within 120 days from the date of the payment letter. December 2022 funds must be spent by May 13, 2023.

If you need assistance, email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650.

Child Care Counts Información en español.

YoungStar Transition Virtual Listening Sessions – April 27, May 2

Join the YoungStar Connect Team for a virtual listening and learning session about the YoungStar transition. As a provider or supporter of providers, you are invited to share your thoughts and ideas about how YoungStar can best support you around the topics that you find most pressing. Space is limited, so register ASAP!

Thursday, April 27 | 6 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Registration

Tuesday, May 2 | 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Registration
*La sesión del martes 2 de mayo será un evento inclusivo con interpretación en español en vivo.*

New Wisconsin Shares Resources Available – Eligibility and Application Process Overview

As previously announced, PDG funding was used to bolster awareness of Wisconsin Shares across the state through a paid media campaign, some website updates, and a media kit. As part of this work, we now have some new resources available to help explain the eligibility, application, and payment process for Wisconsin Shares. These resources are catered towards parents, but we hope that both child care providers and local agencies will use these tools to help parents better understand Wisconsin Shares. You can access these tools on the Wisconsin Shares parents webpage or by clicking the links below:

Additionally, we are excited to share that the paid media campaign will be extended through the summer months. We hope this will continue to bring awareness to parents of this important program!

DCF is Hiring Several Positions

  • The Division of Early Care and Education, Bureau Operations and Planning, is hiring a Training Officer, Senior This position develops, administers, and coordinates training programs and services elated to child care provider regulation, Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy, YoungStar, and other DECE program areas. Please see the posting for further details. The deadline to apply for this position is 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2023.
  • The Division of Early Care and Education, Administrator’s Office, is hiring a Policy Advisor-Career Executive This position reports to the Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) Administrator and serves as a member of the DECE leadership team along with the Division Administrator and the Deputy Division Administrator. This position functions as a key policy advisor with substantial authority on the formulation, determination and implementation of extremely complex external policy development and major interdepartmental initiatives to strengthen services for early care and education and family support. Please see the posting for further details. The deadline to apply for this position is 11:59 p.m. on May 2, 2023.
  • The Division of Early Care and Education, Bureau Operations and Planning, is hiring a Contracts Specialist-Advanced This position will also assist in overseeing, executing, and monitoring of contracts and contract modifications throughout DECE program areas, in coordination with the Division of Management Services, Bureau of Finance, Grants and Contracts Section. Contracting responsibilities impact all 72 counties, up to 11 Tribes, and more than $350 million of the Department’s annual budget. Please see the posting for further details. The deadline to apply for this position is 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2023.

The Department of Children and Families offers excellent benefits and a flexible, hybrid work environment with many positions having the ability to work primarily remote. To learn more about the position and to apply, visit Wisc.Jobs.

ECHC Webinar: Considerations when Caring for Children with Special Health Care Needs – May 4

Caring for children with special health care needs may feel complex. How can you, as an early childhood care and education provider, approach these situations in an organized way? What questions should you ask when you are unsure on health care plans?

In this 60-minute webinar, Dr. Dipesh Navsaria (Pediatrician and Early Childhood Health Consultation Director) will be joined by a collection of experts, including Danielle Gerber (Family Engagement Specialist), Kara Michalkiewicz (Social Worker), Kristan Sodergren (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner), and Teresa Wagner (Registered Nurse). As this category encompasses a great variety of conditions, the experts will focus on general guidance when caring for children with special health care needs. Time will be available following the presentation for live question and answer session.

ECHC Webinar
Considerations when Caring for Children with Special Health Care Needs  
May 4, 2023 | 1-2 p.m. CT
Register to attend.

Join the Early Childhood Health Consultation, a Registry Training Sponsored Organization, in exploring best health and safety practices for early childhood care and education, while having the opportunity of continuing education credits for early childhood providers.

See webinar flyer for more details. After registering, a confirmation email will follow-up with details on joining the webinar. Questions? Reach out to the Early Childhood Health Consultation team at echc@sohe.wisc.edu.