Wisconsin Legislature: DCF 250.05(4)(a)10.

2. Each licensee and provider shall maintain a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification as specified under subd. 1.

3. The time spent obtaining or renewing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training may be counted towards the required continuing education hours under sub. (4) (c).

(f) Each licensee and provider shall have satisfactorily completed at least 10 hours of department-approved training in the care of infants and toddlers within 6 months after becoming licensed or working with children in care under 2 years of age.

(fm) Prior to working with children in care and at least every 2 years thereafter, each provider and substitute shall complete training in all of the following:

1. Child abuse and neglect laws.

2. How to identify children who have been abused or neglected.

3. The procedure for ensuring that all known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect are immediately reported to the proper authorities.

(g) Prior to obtaining a license or working with children in care under 5 years of age, a licensee, provider, substitute, volunteer, emergency back-up, or any other person providing care and supervision shall satisfactorily complete department-approved training in shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, and appropriate ways to manage crying, fussing, or distraught children.

Note: The department-approved training is included in the course called Health, Safety and Nutrition offered by a Wisconsin technical college or in the non-credit, department-approved courses called Introduction to the Child Care Profession and Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care, if the course was taken after July 1, 2005. Information on agencies offering the department-approved courses is available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing.

(gm) A program aide shall meet all of the following conditions:

1. Be at least 16 years old.

2. Work under the direction and supervision of a child care provider.

3. Satisfactorily complete at least one of the following no later than 6 months after assuming the position:

a. An assistant child care teacher training program approved by the Wisconsin department of public instruction.

b. A noncredit department-approved course on early childhood education.

Note: Introduction to the Child Care Profession is the noncredit course approved by the department to meet the entry-level training requirements for a program aide.

4. A program aide may not be counted in the required staff-to-child ratios under Table DCF 250.055.

(h) No person or agency may offer non-credit child care training as specified in this subsection unless the person or agency and the course have been approved by the department. The department may at any time withdraw its approval of a non-credit course. Instructors of non-credit department-approved courses shall be approved by the department prior to teaching a course.

Note: Information on the approval process for non-credit courses is available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing.

(4) Staff development.

(a) Orientation of employees, volunteers, and substitutes. Each employee, volunteer, or substitute shall receive an orientation before the individual begins to work with children in care. The orientation shall be documented on a form initialed and dated by the staff person and trainer. The orientation shall cover all of the following:

1. The names and ages of all the children in care.

2. Current arrival and departure information for each child enrolled and the names of people authorized to pick up the child.

3. A review of children’s records, including emergency contact information.

4. Specific information relating to each child’s health care needs, including medications, disabilities, or special health conditions.

5. If the center is licensed to care for children under one year of age, procedures to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

6. An overview of the daily schedule, including meals, snacks, nap, and any information related to the eating and sleep schedules of infants and toddlers enrolled in the center.

7. A review of the center’s procedures for dealing with emergencies, including natural disasters, human-caused events, food emergencies, and allergic reactions.

9. If the center is licensed to care for children between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., the plan for evacuating sleeping children.

10. The prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunizations.

11. The administration of medications.

12. The handling and storage of hazardous materials and disposal of biocontaminants. In this subdivision, “biocontaminants” includes blood, body fluids, or excretions that may spread infectious disease.

13. The center policies and procedures required under s. DCF 250.04 (2) (e).

14. The provisions in this chapter.

15. The reporting requirements for the child care background check under s. DCF 13.07 (3).

Note: The licensee may use the department’s form, DCF-F-CFS2255, Staff Orientation Checklist - Family Child Care Centers, or the licensee’s own form to document completion of employee orientation. The form is available at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs.

(b) Orientation of emergency back-up providers. Each time an emergency back-up provider cares for the children, the emergency back-up provider shall receive an orientation immediately before being left alone with the children. The orientation shall cover all of the following:

1. The names and ages of all the children in care.

2. Arrival and departure information for each child in care, including the names of people authorized to pick up the child.

3. The location of children’s files, including emergency contact information and consent for emergency medical treatment.

4. Information on any children with special health care needs.

5. Procedures to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, if the center is licensed to care for children under one year of age.

1. Each licensee and provider shall satisfactorily complete at least 15 hours of qualifying continuing education annually. Continuing education qualifies under this paragraph if it covers any of the following:

a. Prevention and control of infectious diseases.

b. Medication administration.

c. Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions.

d. Identification of and protection from hazards.

e. Building and physical premises safety.

f. Emergency preparedness and response planning.

g. Handling and storage of hazardous materials.

h. Handling and disposal of biocontaminants.

i. Child growth and development.

j. Caring for children with disabilities.

k. Guiding children’s behavior.

L. Nutrition.

m. Physical activity.

n. Transportation safety.

o. Identification and reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect.

p. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

q. First aid.

r. Business operations.

s. Any other topic that promotes child development or protects children’s health or safety.

2. Continuing education under subd. 1. may be obtained through attendance at training events, workshops, conferences, consultation with community resource people, web-based training, observation of child care programs, independent reading, or viewing educational materials.

4. A provider shall have documentation of the 12-month period included in the provider’s training year for meeting continuing education requirements and begin a new training year in the same month each year.

Note: The licensee may use either the department’s form, DCF-F-CFS0053, A Staff Continuing Education Record - Child Care Centers, a copy of the individual’s learning record from the Wisconsin Registry, or the licensee’s own form to document the completion of continuing education. The department’s form is available at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs.

History: CR 03-052: cr. Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 3-1-05; corrections in (1) (b) 2., (c), (3) (j) and (4) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; CR 07-102: am. (1) (a), (1) (b) 3., 4., 5., (2) (a) 3., (b) 3. and Table, renum. (1) (b) 1. to be (1) (b) 1. a. and am., cr. (1) (b) 1. b., 6., 7., (2) (a) 10., 11., 12., 13., (3) (L), (m) and (4) (d), r. and recr. (1) (b) 2., (c) and (3) (e) Register December 2008 No. 636, eff. 1-1-09; corrections in (2) (a) 11., 13., (3) (e), (m) and Table made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2008 No. 636; EmR1918: emerg. r. and recr., eff. 1-30-19; CR 19-089: r. and recr. Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; CR 20-003: am. (2) (d) 1. Register July 2020 No. 775, eff. 8-1-20; CR 21-100: am. (1), r. and recr. (2) (a), consol. (2) (e) 1. (intro.) and a. and renum. to (2) (e) 1. and am., r. (2) (e) 1. b., am. (2) (e) 2., cr. (2) (g), am. (3) (b) 1. b., 2., cr. (3) (fm), (gm), am. (4) (a) (intro.), r. (4) (a) 8., am. (4) (c) 2., r. (4) (c) 3. Register February 2023 No. 806, eff. 3-1-23.

DCF 250.055 Supervision and grouping of children.

(1) Supervision.

(a) Each child shall be supervised by a provider to guide the child’s behavior and activities, prevent harm, and ensure safety.

(b) A provider shall be awake at all times when children are in care.

(d) No child may be in care for more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period.

(e) At least one provider who has completed the training required under s. DCF 250.05 (3) (b) shall supervise children at all times, except when a substitute is providing care. A substitute shall meet the requirements under s. DCF 250.05 (3) (c) and (4) (a).

(f) No person under 18 years of age may be left in sole charge of the children.

(g) The center shall have a written plan reviewed by the department for ensuring supervision of the children in an emergency or during a provider’s absence.

(h) A provider may not be engaged in any other activity or occupation during the hours of operation of the center when children are in care, except for daily maintenance of the home.

(i) The licensee may not combine the care of children enrolled in the child care center with foster care of other non-related children or adults without the prior written approval of both licensing agencies.

(j) During the hours of the center’s operation, no provider or any other person in contact with children in care may consume or be under the influence of beverages containing alcohol or any non-prescribed controlled substance specified in ch. 961, Stats.

(k) A child may not be released to any person who has not been previously authorized by the parent to receive the child.

(L) The licensee shall implement and adhere to a procedure to ensure that the number, names, and whereabouts of children in care are known to the provider at all times.

(m) A provider shall be outside with children and provide sight and sound supervision of the children, unless the children are playing inside the enclosed outdoor area on the premises specified under s. DCF 250.06 (11) (b).

(n) A provider shall be outside with children providing sight and sound supervision of the children when a wading pool containing water is present in the outdoor play space specified in s. DCF 250.06 (11) (b).

(2) Grouping of children.

(a) At no time may more than 8 children be in the care of the center. This limitation applies to all of the following:

1. All children under 7 years of age, including a provider’s own children.

2. All children 7 years of age or older who are not a provider’s own children.

(b) The maximum number of children that one provider may care for is specified in Table 250.055.

(c) If the size of the group or the age distribution of the children exceeds the number that may be served by one provider, an additional qualified provider shall be present.