Wisconsin Legislature: DCF 251.05(4)(c)6.b.

Note: See DCF 251.08 (4) (b) for orientation requirements for persons transporting children.

1. A review of this chapter.

2. A review of center policies and procedures required under s. DCF 251.04 (2) (h).

3. A review of the center emergency plans required under s. DCF 251.04 (2) (h) 9., including fire and tornado evacuation plans and the operation of fire extinguishers.

4. Prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions.

5. First aid procedures.

6. Administration of medications.

7. Job responsibilities in relation to the job description.

8. Training in the recognition of childhood illnesses and infectious disease control, including handwashing procedures, universal precautions for handling bodily fluids, and immunizations.

Note: Information on universal precautions may be obtained from the Child Care Information Center website, https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ccic, or by calling 800-362-7353.

9. A schedule of activities of the center.

11. The procedure for ensuring that all child care workers know the children assigned to their care and their whereabouts at all times, including during center-provided transportation.

12. Child management techniques.

13. The procedure for sharing information related to a child’s special health care needs including any physical, emotional, social, or cognitive disabilities with any child care worker who may be assigned to care for that child throughout the day.

14. If the center is licensed to care for children under one year of age, a review of procedures to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome prior to an employee’s or volunteer’s first day of work.

15. The procedure to contact a parent if a child is absent from the center without prior notification from the parent.

16. Information on any special needs that a child enrolled in the center may have and the plan for how those needs will be met.

17. Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic.

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

Note: The licensee may use the department’s form, Staff Orientation Checklist - Group Child Care Centers, for documenting staff orientation. The form is available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs.

(b) Staff meetings. To ensure that staff have the opportunity to receive pertinent information and clarification of problems and issues, each center shall conduct in-person staff meetings at least 9 times in a calendar year or one time for each month of center operation and shall document that staff meetings have been held.

1. Each administrator, center director, child care worker, school-age administrator, and school-age director shall participate in at least 15 hours of continuing education annually.

2m. Each administrator, center director, child care worker, school-age administrator, or school-age director who works fewer than 8 months per year shall participate in the equivalent of at least 2 hours of continuing education per month of employment as an administrator, center director, child care worker, school-age administrator, or school-age director.

3. Any continuing education hours completed that exceed the annual requirement for the year may be used to meet the annual requirement in the 2 years following completion.

4. Continuing education courses completed for credit that exceed the annual requirement for the year may be used to meet the annual requirement in the 2 years following completion.

5. Assistant child care teachers who are currently enrolled in their first entry level course are not required to earn continuing education for that year.

6. The types of training acceptable to meet continuing education requirements shall be limited to any of the following:

a. Formal courses resulting in credits or continuing education units.

b. Workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures, correspondence courses, and home study courses.

c. Training offered by the child care center through the use of guest or staff trainers.

d. Documented observation time in other early childhood programs.

e. Web-based training.

f. Independent reading.

g. Viewing educational materials, including videos, lesson plans, and websites.

h. For participants in the YoungStar program, technical assistance under s. 48.659, Stats.

7. Continuing education may be in any of the following topics:

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.

9. Each administrator, center director, and child care worker shall have documentation of the 12-month period included in his or her 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, Staff Continuing Education Record - Child Care Centers, or the licensee’s own form to document the completion of continuing education. Forms are available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs.

History: Cr. Register, January, 1997, No. 493, eff. 8-1-97; reprinted to correct error in Table, Register, February, 1997, No. 494; reprinted to correct error in Table, Register, March, 1997, No. 495; CR 03-052: r. and recr. (title), (1) (a), (1) (j) 3., (2) (c) 3. to 7., am. (1) (b) 3. b., (c) 5. (intro.), Table 46.05-A, (6) (intro.), Table 46.05-B, (d) 3., Table 46.05-C, (2) (a) (intro.), 3., 6., 8., 11., (4) (e) (intro.) and 1., r. (1) (c) 5. a. to i. and 6. a. to f., (1) (d) 3. a. to i., renum. (1) (j) 4. to be 5., cr. (1) (j) 4. a. and b., (2) (a) 12., (2) (c) 8. to 10., (3) (g) Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 3-1-05; corrections in (1) (j) 1. a., 3., (2) (a) 2. and 3. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; CR 07-102: r. and recr. (1), am. (2) (a), 9., (3) (b), (c), (f), (4) (d), (j) and Table D, cr. (2) (a) 13., 14., (3) (h) and (i), r. (2) (c) 6. and 10. Register December 2008 No. 636, eff. 1-1-09; renumbering in (1) (e) 4. and corrections in (1) (e) 4. d., 5. d., (L) 3., (4) (j) and Table D made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., 6. and 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; EmR1918: emerg. r. and recr., eff. 1-30-19; CR 19-089: r. and recr. Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; correction in (4) (a) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., and correction in (2) (a) 3. b., (4) (c) 7. d. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register March 2020 No. 771; CR 20-003: am. (2) (a) 3. a. Register July 2020 No. 775, eff. 8-1-20; CR 21-100: am. (1), (2) (a) (intro.), 2., 3. a., 4. a., b., r. (2) (a) 4. c., am. (2) (a) 4. d., 5., cr. (2) (a) 8., am. (3) (b), cr. (3) (cm), am. (3) (d) 3. a., b., (e) 3. c., Table A, Table B, 5., (f) 2. c., 3. a., bm. to e., (g) 2. a., c., cr. (3) (gm), (gr), am. (3) (i) 2., (j) 2., r. (4) (a) 10., am. (4) (c) 1., r. (4) (c) 2., cr. (4) (c) 2m., am. (4) (c) 6. e., cr. (4) (c) 6. f. to h., r. (4) (c) 8. Register February 2023 No. 806, eff. 3-1-23.

DCF 251.055 Supervision and grouping of children.

(1) Supervision.

(a) Each child shall be supervised by a child care worker who is within the sight and sound of the children to guide the children’s behavior and activities, prevent harm, and ensure safety.

(b) At least one child care teacher shall supervise each group of children, except as provided in par. (c).

(c) Assistant child care teachers who are at least 18 years of age and have completed the training required for the position may provide sole supervision to a group of children in full-day centers for opening and closing hours, not to exceed the first 2 hours and the last 2 hours of center operation, and during the center’s designated naptime, not to exceed 2 hours.

(d) A child care worker may not provide care for children at the center for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period.

(e) A child may not be in care for more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period.

(f) The center shall implement and adhere to a procedure to ensure that the number, names, and whereabouts of children in care are known to assigned child care workers at all times.

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

(h) The center shall implement a procedure to contact a parent if a child is absent from the center without prior notification from the parent.

(i) No person under 18 years of age shall be left in sole charge of a child.

(j) No licensee, employee, volunteer, or other individual in contact with children may consume alcoholic beverages or any non-prescribed controlled substance specified in ch. 961, Stats., on the premises of the center or be under the influence of any alcohol or non-prescribed controlled substance, during the hours of the center’s operation.

(2) Grouping of children.

(a) The maximum number of children in a group may not exceed the number specified in Table 251.055.

(b) The ratio of child care workers to children may not be less than the minimum number of child care workers to children specified in Table 251.055.

- See PDF for table

(c) When there is a mixed-age group, the required staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 shall be adjusted on a pro rata basis in accordance with the ages of the children in the group.

Note: The licensee may use the department’s form, Child Care Staff-To-Child Ratio Worksheet - Group Child Care Centers, to adjust the staff-to-child ratio. Forms are available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs.

(d) When infants and toddlers are part of a mixed-age group, the size of the group may not exceed 8.

(e) When the group of children is a mixed age group of children 2 years and older, the group size shall be determined by the number of children that can be cared for by 2 child care workers with the required staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 adjusted on a pro rata basis in accordance with the ages of the children in the group.

(f) Maximum group size does not apply to field trips, outdoor play areas, and areas of the center reserved exclusively for eating. Staff-to-child ratios shall be maintained in those settings.

(g) During naptime, an adjustment in group size and staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 may be made as follows:

1. One child care worker shall be within sight or sound of each group of sleeping children, except as provided in s. DCF 251.09 (1) (m).

2. Staff-to-child ratios shall be maintained in the center during naptime.

3. Maximum group size requirements do not apply to napping groups.

4. As children wake, sight and sound supervision and staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 shall be maintained for awake children.

(h) When 8 or fewer children are present in a center, there shall be a second adult available to come to the center within 5 minutes for emergencies. The center shall maintain a signed and dated statement from that person, including an address and telephone number, certifying that the person is available and agrees to serve if needed.

(i) In a center with 9 or more children present, there shall be at least 2 adults available in the center at all times. At least one of the adults shall be a child care worker directly involved in the supervision and care of the children.

(j) When 9 or more children are on a field trip there shall be at least 2 child care workers accompanying the children and the staff-to-child ratios in Table DCF 251.055 shall be maintained. At least one of the child care workers shall be a child care teacher.

(k) Support staff, such as clerical, housekeeping, and food service staff, may only be considered in determining whether the required staff-to-child ratios are met at any of the following times: