January 30 Child Care Provider Updates ¿Quiere recibir esta información en español? Suscríbase a nuestra listserv en español. Federal Funding Questions DCF has received a number of questions about the rapidly evolving situation regarding federal funds. At this point, we anticipate Wisconsin Shares payments and YoungStar Quality Adjustments going out as scheduled on January 31. Gov. Evers Declares 2025 The Year of The Kid and Proposes Child Care Investments Last week, during the 2025 State of the State Address, Governor Evers declared 2025 the Year of the Kid to build on his administration’s commitment to doing what’s best for kids. He also announced that he will be proposing a $500 million investment in child care in the upcoming Biennial Budget. This investment would make Child Care Counts permanent along with other key investments to make child care more affordable and support the child care workforce. Gov. Evers will release his full budget proposal on February 18. If you weren’t able to tune in to the State of the State Address, you can read the speech or watch the recording. January Child Care Counts Closes Soon – Apply Today! Time is running out to apply/update your information for the December Child Care Counts program. The deadline is Sunday, February 2 at 11:59 p.m. Update/Application Week Reminders Once you are approved for payments, you must update your application each month. See the Updating Your Child Care Counts Information During Update Week videoto learn how to make application modifications during Update Week. If you have not yet applied for Round 5, see the Round 5 Application Guidefor information about submitting your initial application. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650, M-F 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Reminder: Child Care Subsidy Estimator Coming Soon – Update Your Prices in Provider Portal It’s a new year and for some of you that means new child care prices. When is the last time you checked and updated your prices in the Provider Portal? The new Subsidy Estimator Tool is going live in February, so you’ll want your prices to be accurate when parents and caregivers begin using the tool. Update your prices in the Provider Portal today! If you have questions about updating your prices, contact your local agency. The Subsidy Estimator will help families better understand their subsidy amounts, plan their finances, and help them make choices about child care in their area. To learn about the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Estimator, review the October 2024 Tuesday Talks with DECE recording (around the 14-minute mark). Small Businesses Across Wisconsin Can Receive Free Advice and Training Small businesses throughout Wisconsin—including child care programs—can receive free advice and training thanks to a new partnership between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office for Business and Entrepreneurship. The Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance and Training Program will provide small businesses with training such as: One-on-one small business consulting and mentoring. Clinics specifically addressing digital marketing or rural small business needs. Live training events and programs focused on leadership, communication, sales, marketing, financial planning, and more. How-to videos, including 10 new videos developed specifically for this program. Videos are available in English, Spanish, and Hmong. The program is open to any owner, employee, or staff member of an open, Wisconsin-based business with less than 500 employees. Find more information about the program. Upcoming Events and Education/Training Opportunities The below events are hosted by DCF, one of its partners, or is one that may be relevant to the early childhood field. Click/tap on the titles below to learn more about each event. Quality Conversations: YoungStar Connect Office Hours: Wisconsin Registry and Program Profile Overview Get expert guidance and personalized support from YoungStar Connect content specialists, coaches, raters, and partners. We’ll explore the Wisconsin Registry and how to optimize your program profile, and guide you through key features of the Registry, helping you understand how to manage and update your profile for greater visibility and alignment with state standards. Spanish interpretation is not available. Live session on February 10, from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Register at the Wisconsin Registry. Registration closes on February 7, 2025. Questions? Contact Nicole Cusimano at ncusimano@youngstarconnect.com Free Webinar – Screens and Young Children: Strengths-based Approaches to Engage Families In this webinar, Jenny Radesky, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School, will describe how early childhood professionals can use strengths-based, evidence-informed approaches to engage families and encourage healthier media use at home. Since the pandemic, children’s media use has increased, as has parental stress. The topic of ‘screen time’ often makes parents feel guilty or overwhelmed, and ECE providers can be valuable in both conveying good information, as well as following best practices themselves. February 14, 2025 – 1-2 p.m. | Register for this event. *Credit through the Wisconsin Registry is pending for this event. Spanish interpretation is not available. 2025 Early Childhood Educators Conference – featuring Stuart Stotts! Join the conference for a day of inspiration, learning, and fun! The conference features author, singer, educator - Stuart Stotts; and a breakout session with Stacy Stenz, “Understanding the Developing Brain.” Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Northcentral Technical College – Wausau Campus. Register by February 14 for just $30; regular registration is $40. Limited scholarship funding is available – up to $15 reimbursement. If you need assistance, contact NTC at: ce@ntc.edu or 715-803-1243. Spanish interpretation is not available. Free Special Needs Training for the 53206 Zip Code Join 4C for Children in a 15-hour training session built to learn about children with diverse needs. This training will identify needs, teach how to recognize child development and delays, gain valuable hands-on resources to guide the children, and learn how to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social and Emotional screening tool: ASQ: SE. In-Person Training dates: March 11, 18, 25, April 1 and 8, 2025, at the 4C For Children office from 6-9 p.m. | See the flyer for more details. | English only. Register for this valuable training. | Registration deadline is March 5, 2025. Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues: Episode 23: Whooping Cough Has Returned Cases of whooping cough are at their highest in years, and our littlest ones are at risk of severe infection — and even death — if they’re not vaccinated. Rachel and Dr. Navsaria break down what whooping cough is, the risks it poses to infants, when to call home, and how to navigate conversations around vaccine hesitancy. Listen to the Whooping Cough episode anytimeon your favorite platform.
