Northern Regional Licensing Office
2187 North Stevens St. Suite C
Rhinelander, WI 54501

Northeastern Regional Licensing Office
200 N. Jefferson St., Ste. 411
Green Bay, WI 54301

Southern Regional Licensing Office
1 West Wilson Street, Room 655

P.O. Box 8947
Madison, WI 53708-8947

Southeastern Regional Licensing Office
141 NW Barstow, Room 104
Waukesha, WI 53188-3789

Western Regional Licensing Office
610 Gibson St., Suite 2
Eau Claire, WI 54701-3687

Directing you to appropriate zoning and building inspection authorities Reviewing your draft of Group day care policies (program and personnel) Clarifying training, work experience and background check requirements for the various staff positions, Providing materials on appropriate room arrangements and curriculum, Supplying the application form when preparations are complete

Your completed application, along with other required items, should be sent to the licensing office 60 days prior to when you hope to receive your license. It may go more quickly, depending on the work load of the technical advisor and licensing specialist assigned to you. The first license issued is a 6 month probationary license. The cost of that license will be 1/4 the cost of a 2-year license. The cost of a 2-year license is $30.25 + $8.47 per child based on licensed capacity. The licensed capacity will be established at the time the licensing specialist does the official visit, and the fee will be payable at that time. When the completed application is submitted, the legal head of the organization (owner or Officer of the Board of Directors) must submit a Background Information Disclosure form, along with a check for $7.50 per form; this covers the cost to the State of running background investigation records checks. Later, the center's administrator will initiate background checks on all other employees.

Group Day Care Manual

This is a lengthy companion to the blue licensing rules book. While you are not required to have this manual, it will help you to better understand the intent of the rules. It contains interpretations of the rules, explaining some rules in very detailed commentary. A copy of the manual may be downloaded from the DHFS web site.  
A copy may be purchased by sending check or money order for $11.00 to:

DHFS    
1 W. Wilson, Room 534 
P.O. Box 8916 
Madison, WI 53708-8916 

 

Educational Qualifications

The following chart explains the requirements for the many staff positions which may exist within a Group day care center.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS UNDER CH. 46 WI DHFS Division of Children and Family Services 

Bureau of Regulation and Licensing (revised 10/99)This chart represents the minimum or least restrictive requirement for entry level educational qualifications for various positions in a child care center under HFS 46.  Please consult the exact language of the rule. Information In this chart paraphrases language In the rule. A variety of other options for meeting the educational qualifications for each position in a licensed group day care center may be found by consulting the rule. Additional information is also available in the commentary manual.

 

Continuing Education

• Persons working more than 20 hours a week must have at least 25 hours of continuing education each year.
  
  
• Persons working 20 hours or less a week must have at least 15 hours of continuing education each year.
  
  
• Staff persons working with children under 2 years of age must complete 10 hours of training in infant/toddler care within 6 months of beginning to work with children under 2 in addition to meeting basic entry-level requirements for the position held.
  
  
• Administrators & Center Directors must obtain 10 hours of training in supervision and personnel management within 1 year of assuming the position if s/he has not had prior training in these areas.

If you have any questions, please consult with your regional Licensing Specialist.

Group sizes and staff: Child ratios

The number of children that can be cared for in 1 group, by up to 2 staff persons, will depend upon the ages of the children in care and the space available in that room.

Space requirements - Indoor and Outdoor

The following criteria are meant to give a general sense of space needs. The rules book and the building code information in the Inquiry Packet contain more extensive information.

• Hallways, bathrooms, and floor space which contains appliances, storage cabinets, adult desks, and other items which cannot be used by children will not count toward the required total.
• Space occupied by cribs for infants will also not be included in the calculation.
• Each group must have its own defined room or space defined by partitions.
• A room in which 1 or more children is under 2 years of age must have a sink in the room, with hot and cold running water, to be used only for diapering purposes (not food preparation or dishwashing).
• Children under age 2 are restricted to the first floor and ground floor having direct grade level access.
• Travel distance from any point in a room to the building's exterior may be no more than 50 feet for children under 2, and no more than 100 feet for children over 2. Rooms in which children nap must have exterior windows.
  
  

• Play space must be enclosed by a 48" high fence
• Space must be free of hazards (ex.: broken glass, flaking or chipping paint, damaged play equipment).
• A variety of play options must exist.
  
  

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Wisconsin Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (CCR&R)
Phone: 888-713-KIDS
Email: wiccrrn@athenet.net
Web: www.wisconsinccrr.org

Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project (WCCIP)
Phone: 800-366-3556
Web: www.wccip.org

Wisconsin Child Care Information Center (CCIC)
Phone: 800-362-7353
Email: ccic@dpi.state.wi.us
Web: www.dpi.state.wi.us/ccic