Resources for all Early Care and Education Professionals
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) – https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare
This is the main resource for all things related to child care in Wisconsin. This page will connect you to resources for establishing a child care business, regulation information, and current Wisconsin initiatives related to child care. You can sign up for email alerts directly related to providing quality early care.
Wisconsin Child Care Regulation Information – https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ccregulation
This is your resource for information about child care regulations in Wisconsin. The site includes information for Family Child Care Programs – Licensed and Certified, and for Licensed Group Child Care Programs. You can sign up for email alerts related to regulated child care.
Child Care Information Center (CCIC) – https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ccic
The Child Care Information Center is the go to place for information foe early learning programs. Resources for activities, parent communication, recent news in the field, and much, much more can be found on this site. Professionals in the field can request materials for their programs. This includes resources for programming, articles for continuing education, and materials for parents.
YoungStar – https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar
YoungStar is Wisconsin’s Child Care Quality and Improvement Rating System. Information about participation, including how to contact your local YoungStar office, can be found on this site.
YoungStar Connect – https://www.youngstarconnect.com/
YoungStar Connect provides and oversees all YoungStar services. We offer individualized and group-based coaching, on-demand resources and live training, ratings, and a help desk, all designed to ensure that Wisconsin children, providers, and communities thrive.
DCF Mailing List – Sign Up for Child Care Information and Join the DCF Mailing List for Updates – click on the link to learn more.
Wisconsin Registry – The Wisconsin Registry is the state’s recognition system for the childhood care and education profession. It verifies that individuals meet entry level and ongoing training requirements of the Wisconsin licensing code and assesses educational accomplishments and professional contributions beyond those required.
Other Resources:
Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA) – SFTA is Wisconsin’s statewide member association for organizations and individuals committed to making every early childhood a great one. Their core membership consists of Wisconsin’s Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs) and Family Resource Centers (FRCs). SFTA’s affiliate membership is made up of other like-minded organizations and individuals.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners – The Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners is a statewide group of nearly 200 public and private agencies and associations united through a common desire for a blended, comprehensive delivery system for high quality early childhood care and education. Their website brings together many resources to support partnership efforts.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)– This Web site provides a summary of the wide range of educational services and resources available through NAEYC for adults who work with and for young children in child care and other early childhood programs.
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) -The focus of NAFCC is to provide technical assistance to family child care associations. This assistance is provided through developing leadership and professionalism, addressing issues of diversity, and by promoting quality and professionalism through NAFCC’s Family Child Care.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) – We are the organization for early childhood professionals and those who support our work. We promote excellence in child development practices through a range of professional growth opportunities and support services.
Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) – The Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) brings together family and center-based early care and education programs to pool resources and leverage economies of scale. By sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise, childcare programs can save time and money.
Wisconsin Family Child Care Association – The Wisconsin Family Child Care Association, WFCCA, is a statewide organization of Family Child Care providers and their supporters, formed to provide support, involvement, and communication with others in the profession.
Kids Forward – Kids Forward aspires to make Wisconsin a place where every child thrives by advocating for effective, long-lasting solutions that break down barriers to success for children and families. Using a research and a community-informed approach, Kids Forward works to help every kid, every family, and every community.
Red Leaf Press – Established in 1973, Redleaf Press is a leading non-profit publisher of exceptional curriculum, management, and business resources for early childhood professionals.
Milwaukee Coalition for Children’s Mental Health – The Milwaukee Coalition for Children’s Mental Health (CCMH) was founded in 2015 to bring people together to support children’s mental health and well-being in the city of Milwaukee. We are a group of passionate mental health champions, including representatives of local and statewide organizations, faith communities, and other initiatives.