Struggling to afford child care in Wisconsin? Here's where to find help.
With the average annual cost of child care in Wisconsin easily surpassing that of college, many families may struggle to afford child care. However, there are places they can turn to for help.
A new report from Wisconsin Counties Association's Forward Analytics found child care for one child can average up to 18%-36% of a family's income. For families with two children, costs can reach as high as 70% of their income, the report said. These figures far exceed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 7% affordability threshold.
Things stand to get worse as Wisconsin’s Child Care Counts, which distributes stabilization payments to child care programs across the state, is set to end in January. Many child care businesses, which already run on thin profit margins, will be forced to charge parents more to make up for this lost revenue. Because Child Care Counts funding was cut in half this spring, some families are already facing this reality.
Here are some avenues to help Wisconsin families navigate increasing child care costs.
More: Wisconsin is poised to cut Child Care Counts. How will it impact your family?
Check out Wisconsin Shares, the state's child care subsidy program
Wisconsin Shares assists eligible families by paying a portion of their monthly child care costs. The amount a family receives depends on a variety of factors, including the children's ages, family income, family size and how long children spend in care.
Recently, the program started allowing participating families to request funds to pay registration fees too.
Wisconsin families who have a child younger than 13 or a child with a disability younger than 19 may qualify for Wisconsin Shares if they meet certain requirements. Families remain eligible until their income reaches 85% of the state's median income.
Wisconsin Shares is funded by a variety of sources, including federal funding like Child Care and Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
Related: Wisconsin is altering its child care subsidy program. Here’s what families need to know.
See if you qualify for Head Start
Statewide, there are a number of sites for Head Start, a federal learning program for children ages birth to 5. Children in this age range who are from families who meet certain income standards are eligible for Head Start care free of charge. Children in foster care, those who are homeless and whose families receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income are also eligible.
Shelly Bishop, CESA 7 Head Start/Early Head Start director, said families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and W-2 assistance are also eligible.
For more on these requirements and how to apply, visit bit.ly/Wisheadstart.
Look for local grants to help pay for child care
Some grants are available to help families pay for child care in specific areas of the state. Examples include:
Sheboygan Connections Scholarship Program: Through donations and grants from the United Way of Sheboygan County, city of Sheboygan and more, the Family Connections Inc. scholarship assists Sheboygan County families with child care costs for a year, in hopes of helping families gain self-sufficiency. To receive full assistance, families must meet income requirements and qualify for Wisconsin Shares; however, all Sheboygan County families can receive assistance with registration fees, said Family Connections director Colleen Steinbruecker.
Fond du Lac Connections Scholarship Program: This scholarship is also administered by Family Connections Inc. Funded by the Fond du Lac United Way, the scholarship helps ALICE families who reside in Fond du Lac County, with the exception of Ripon, pay for child care for a maximum of three months, Steinbruecker said. The United Way of Wisconsin defines ALICE, or Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed, families as those who earn just above the federal poverty level but struggle to meet their needs. For more information on the two Connections Scholarship Programs, visit bit.ly/connectionsscholarships.
Good Start Grants: Childcaring Inc. administers these grants to families in parts of central Wisconsin who do not qualify for Wisconsin Shares, but whose monthly household income is below 300% federal poverty level and who meet other qualifications. This program, funded by United Way agencies and other community foundations, pays participating families' child care subsidies directly to their child care providers on a monthly basis, explained Rachele Johnson, a program and training coordinator with Childcaring Inc. For more information, visit bit.ly/goodstartgrants.
Reach out to your local child care resource and referral agency or family resource center to inquire about potential child care cost assistance in your area.
See if your child care offers help
Some child care programs across the state are coming up with their own ways to help their families pay for care; the child care your children attend or the child care you hope to enroll in may be one of them.
Encompass Early Education and Care Inc., which has seven Brown County locations, is able to offer tuition assistance to qualifying families thanks to donations from the community, United Way and grants, said Encompass' Executive Director Missy Schmeling. The assistance a family may receive is determined by their gross household income, Schmeling said.
Bridges Child Enrichment Center offers a tuition assistance scholarship to help its families — whether they qualify for state assistance or not. The scholarship a family receives is based on household size, income and the family's unique financial situation. It is primarily funded by United Way Fox Cities, Bridges Executive Director Nicole Desten said.
YMCAs often offer some form of tuition assistance for families in need who are enrolled in their child care programming. Dani Englebert, chief operating officer of the YMCA of the Fox Cities, said if families do not qualify for Wisconsin Shares, they may qualify for tuition assistance through the YMCA of the Fox Cities, depending on their family size and income. Check with your local YMCA to see if they offer similar assistance.
Check if your employer or school gives child care subsides
It's not unusual for child care programs to offer tuition discounts to their employees as a recruitment and retention tool, and other sectors are beginning to do so as well. For example, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, headquartered in Manitowoc, provides its employees with a $400 monthly stipend for child care.
AriensCo. partnered with KinderCare to open the Brillion Early Learning Center just miles from its three Brillion manufacturing plants. It provides a 50% care discount for children and grandchildren of AriensCo. employees who attend the center.
Some colleges, especially if they have on-site child care, may also offer care discounts to students and employees.
Related: Businesses can give employees free child care through statewide Partner Up grant
Look at other areas of your budget where you could cut costs
Despite the help out there, families might not have access to such assistance. Even if they do, child care costs can still be overwhelming.
Dana Bain, development director for Child Care Resource and Referral Fox Valley, said the agency often talks to families about cutting costs in other ways. This could look like using community resources such as 2-1-1 Wisconsin, Leaven Fox Cities, Well Badger Resource Center, or making small changes like where you shop for groceries or buying generic brands when possible.
Madison Lammert covers child care and early education across Wisconsin as a Report for America corps member. She is based at the Post Crescent in Appleton. To contact her, email mlammert@gannett.com or call 920-993-7108.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Where to find child care assistance in Wisconsin
