Child Care Subsidy

Wisconsin’s Child Care Subsidy program, sometimes called “W-2 Child Care”, helps families pay for childcare. If the parent is eligible, childcare can be subsidized for children under the age of 13 (up to 19 if special needs)

From the Website of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.....

Eligability Guidlines for WI

Purpose: The Child Care Subsidy Program, Wisconsin Shares, assists low-income families to pay for child care services. The program is administered by local Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies and county or tribal human services agencies, which are supervised by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Child care is one of several support services Wisconsin provides to working low-income families, including Medicaid and BadgerCare health insurance, Food Stamps, help in child support collection, and earned income tax credits.

Population served: Any family in need is encouraged to apply. Low-income families with working parents are generally eligible for child care help. Families participating in W-2 employment programs are also eligible. Teen parents in school from low-income families are generally eligible for assistance. Low-income parents who are working and enrolled in courses to maintain employment may also be eligible for assistance. Families must have income below 185% of poverty to be initially eligible, and can continue to be eligible until income exceeds 200% of poverty. Waiting lists for child care subsidies were eliminated in March 1997.

Parent Choice and Co-payment: The subsidy program is designed to provide parents a wide range of choice in selecting child care settings for their children. Parents can choose licensed child care centers, licensed family day care homes, and more informal child care settings, as long as they meet basic health and safety standards. Generally over 75% of subsidized children use licensed child care as their primary care arrangement. Most parents are required to share the cost of child care through a co-pay requirement. The co-pay amount is on a sliding scale based on family size and income and the type of child care setting selected. Typically parents pay about 10% of the cost of care, while the subsidy program covers about 90% of the cost. Co-pay levels are set so they do not exceed 12% of a family's income, but most parents have co-pay requirements well below that 12% level.

Child Care Provider Regulation: The subsidy program requires that child care providers must meet health and safety standards and undergo criminal background checks in order to receive reimbursement payments. Child care providers must be licensed by the state, certified by county or tribal government, or operated by a public school in order to be eligible for reimbursement.