What is ECARES?
Early Childhood Access Resources and Eligibility System, or ECARES, is a web-based system for parents and guardians needing child care and for programs providing child care in Wyoming.
ECARES will launch August 4, 2025.
Parents
Parents, watch your mailbox in July for a postcard announcing ECARES!
Parents who have previously received child care assistance will receive either an email or a letter with a unique access code to log in to ECARES. Letters and emails will arrive the week of August 4.
Parents and guardians can use ECARES to:
- Check eligibility for child care assistance
- Find child care providers
- View the estimated cost per month based on child care assistance and provider charges
- Find other support programs in Wyoming
Scroll down for a parent preview
Providers
Refresher training for providers will take place virtually at 6 p.m. on July 23, 2025. Virtual provider training is also available for STARS credit at this link on the Thinkific Platform.
Providers are asked to submit any outstanding child care assistance invoices, along with invoices for service ending July 15, by 5:oo p.m. July 16. Providers will use the ECARES system to submit invoices beginning August 4.
Providers can use ECARES to:
- Manage child care enrollment for families receiving assistance
- Accept and track assistance payments electronically
- Access and track professional training
- Track licensing requirements
- View fingerprinting and Central Registry information
Provider training materials:
- Adding Images
- Creating a Profile
- Review Enrollment Requests
- Submitting Requests via Tickets
- Viewing Current Enrollments
- Viewing Facility Inbox
- Viewing Subsidy Payments
- Verifying Attendance
Communication and transparency are top priorities as we transition to ECARES. You will find the latest information via the following sources:
-
Regular updates through our WY Quality Counts newsletter
-
Email communication from the Department of Family Services and your licensor
- Please email Kelly Douglas at kelly.douglas1@wyo.gov if you have questions.
ECARES Parent Preview
Parents and guardians can check for child care assistance eligibility without logging in.
When they log in, parents and guardians will see their family portal dashboard. The dashboard provides quick access to the following key features:
- Complete an application for child care assistance
- Browse for providers
- View eligibility and programs
- Access other Wyoming assistance programs
To complete an application for child care assistance, parents and guardians will need:
- Email address and password
- Family, child, and household information
- Income information
- Work or education requirements
- Intended care start date
Search for a provider
Parents and guardians can use ECARES to search for local providers that offer the type of care they need, while checking the estimated cost per month based on eligibility.
Questions about ECARES?
If you have any questions or feedback about ECARES, please reach out to Kelly Douglas at kelly.douglas1@wyo.gov.
Child care providers: please reach out to your licensor for more information. Find their contact information at this link.