Start Your Search

Are you expecting a new baby or considering a change in child care for your children? 4-C can assist parents, family members, and others supporting families in finding regulated child care for children. 4-C maintains a database of all regulated child care programs within the 4-C eleven county service delivery area (Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rock, Sauk, and Walworth counties and the Ho-Chunk Nation).

Referral Specialists assist parents with their search for early care and education for their children by providing a no-cost customized, enhanced child care referral based on each family’s specific needs. This referral is completed by utilizing an accurate and detailed database system to locate and access available child care slots.

For other Wisconsin counties, please refer to Supporting Families Together Association. For locations outside of Wisconsin, please refer to Child Care Aware.

Parents playing with with toys on the floor with their toddlers

Obtain a Child Care Referral

If you are in need of child care, please request a child care referral via one of the following methods:

  • Complete an online referral (instant results)

    You may access the online 4-C child care referral database to complete a self-guided child care search and obtain instant search results.

  • Complete a child care referral intake form

    After completing the online form, a 4-C Referral Specialist will follow-up with an email that includes 2 attachments. First, a list of all child care referrals based on the search criteria you entered. Second, a list of any child care providers who indicated a vacancy based on the search criteria you entered. Vacancies in child care programs change frequently. You should receive this referral within two business days, “4-C” will be part of the sender name.

Once you have received results from the referral intake then the next step is choosing child care. We have provided checklists, tips, and questions to help you through this process.

The Next Step:

Choosing Child Care