The state is changing its policy for making payments to day care providers if children are absent from day care. This booklet explains those changes and how they may affect you.

• Beginning April 1, 2007, if your child is absent from day care for more than half the approved day care hours in a week, the state will only pay your day care provider for the number of hours your child was in day care that week.
• For example, if your child is approved for 46 hours of day care in a week and goes to day care for at least 23 hours in a week, the state will pay the day care provider for 46 hours. But, if your child goes to day care for fewer than 23 hours in a week, the day care provider will only be paid for the number of hours your child was in day care that week. So, if your child goes to day care for 20 hours one week, the provider will be paid for 20 hours instead of 46 hours for that week.

• The reduced payment will only be for the week the child missed more than half of the approved day care hours.
• Your approved hours should not be reduced because of a reduced payment.
• Even after a reduced payment has been made, full payment will still be made for each week your child goes to day care for at least half of the approved hours.

• The W-2 or county agency that approved your child care can approve an absence if you report the absence and there is a good reason for it.
• An absence can be excused:
  • - if your child is sick,
  • - if you are temporarily laid off,
  • - if you are on temporary medical leave from work,
  • - if you are on vacation for two weeks or less, or
  • - for other reasons beyond your control.

• If your child misses day care, call the W-2 or county agency to report the absence and tell them the reason for the absence. There are time limits for approving absences so call as soon as possible.
• Whether you speak with an agency worker or leave a message, you should also use the sheet provided with this booklet to write down the date of the absence, when you called to report it, the name of the person you talked to and what was said.
• In Milwaukee call 289-6464, in other counties call your worker who authorizes your child care.

• You may need to provide a written excuse. If you are told to submit a written excuse and cannot get one tell the W-2 or county agency you need help getting the excuse.

• If your child has special needs, the child’s day care provider will always receive a full weekly payment, even if your child is absent from day care for more than half the approved hours in a week.
• A child with special needs is a child who has a developmental disability, or a physical, mental or emotional condition or behavioral problems and who requires more care and supervision than other children the same age.
• The child’s special needs should be documented by a doctor, psychologist, special education teacher or another qualified professional. If you have already provided proof that your child has special needs, the W-2 or county agency should not make you provide any more proof.
• If your child has special needs, contact the W-2 or county agency to confirm that payments to the provider will not be reduced even if your child is absent from day care.

If your child’s day care benefits or payments are reduced, or if the W-2 or county agency won’t approve an absence, requires proof of special needs that you have already provided, or denies your request that your child be considered a child with special needs, call Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. (LAW).