Finding Child Care
At the Office of Child Care and Families Resources, we are committed to building access to high quality child care options for UW-Madison families and offering resources to support your search.
Below are campus and community child care options with a focus on children 0-5 years old, or who have not yet started kindergarten.
See School-Aged Care for information on enrolling in school, before and after-school care, and summer camps or programs.
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Step 1: Explore UW-Madison Campus & Network Child Care Centers
UW-Madison’s Campus & Network Centers offer priority enrollment to UW-Madison employees and students, providing high-quality, convenient options.
Begin by exploring these centers to see if their location, age groups, and setting might be a good fit for your family.
Step 2: Request a List of Family Child Care Programs
To offer UW families even more options, OCCFR partners with the Satellite Family Child Care System to offer referrals to licensed or accredited Family Child Care Programs that offer home-based setting care in a smaller, often multi-age group environment.
Compared to traditional child care centers, family programs may have…
- Increased scheduling flexibility
- Greater enrollment availability
- Small group sizes
Step 3: Expand Your Search
If you’re still looking for more options, Wisconsin offers several public search tools & programs to expand your search.
Youngstar
Search for all licensed, accredited or certified child care centers and family child care programs across Wisconsin. You can filter by location, age group, YoungStar quality rating, and more.
4-C
Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C) offers personalized, free child care referrals in Dane County and nearby counties. Their specialists can help you understand options, navigate regulations, and provide tailored lists.
HeadStart
These federal programs provide comprehensive child development and family support services for low-income families, often including full-day or part-day child care.
Step 4: Required Forms and Documents
In Wisconsin, child care centers and programs are required to collect specific forms by your child’s first day, or soon after. When you officially sign your contract, your provider will share these forms with you, but it’s helpful to begin gathering information in advance.
Essential Documents:
- Original Birth Certificates or Passports
- Health Records/Immunization Records
- Emergency Contact Information (for a contact other than a parent)
Step 5: Enroll and Sign Your Contract
Congratulations, you’re nearing the finish line! Enrolling your child involves signing contracts, understanding all fees, and clarifying expectations for the year ahead.
- Contracts & Deposits: Most child care centers or programs will require a 9 or 12-month contract, committing to care for a specific schedule. You’ll typically be asked for a deposit, which can range from $100 up to a full month’s tuition that is typically applied as a credit to your future bill.
- Clarify All Fees: Ask about costs beyond the basic tuition, such as late pick-up fees, supply fees, or policies around vacations, canceling your contract, or early withdrawals.
- Required Supplies: Providers should clearly outline what items you need to supply for your child, such as diapers, wipes, changes of clothing, bottles, etc.
Step 6: Plan for Back-Up Care
Finally, we encourage you to plan ahead for back-up child care options for occasional needs, such as when your regular child care center or program is closed.
Request a calendar or schedule that shows when your child care is closed for early release days, professional development, or winter/spring break.
Learn more about the KidsKare program – discounted hourly childcare for UW families, available through advance reservation for limited spots (ages 6 weeks-5 years).
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you begin contacting child care centers or family child care programs, it’s helpful to clarify your family’s needs and what to look for when choosing child care.
See Understanding Child Care to learn more.
See Budgeting for Child Care for more information on child care fees and cost estimates.
Due to limited availability, UW-Madison families are not guaranteed a spot at a child care center.
However, our UW Campus and Network Child Care Centers offer priority enrollment for children of students, faculty, and staff. We also partner with the Satellite Family Child Care System to help families connect with licensed and/or accredited family child care programs across the state.
Our office also has many resources on this page to help you navigate your search, and we are happy to answer your questions! Schedule an appointment with our Parent Resource Specialist here.
It is helpful to begin your search as soon as you know you need care. Some families begin searching and getting on waitlists as soon as they are pregnant or planning for a family.
In general, we recommend starting your search and getting on waitlists if needed 6-12+ months in advance for 2-4 year-olds, and 9-18+ months in advance for infants 0-2 year-old.
Many child care centers or family child care programs will begin enrollment (offering spots and signing contracts) between January-March for the following academic year contract that typically begins in the fall.
Child care is in high demand in Madison and across Wisconsin. Waitlists may be 3-12+ months for 2-4 year-olds, and 6-18+ months for infants 0-2.
We recommend getting on multiple waitlists to increase your chances of finding child care. Family child care programs may have more flexibility and open spaces than traditional child care centers.