DCF 251.094 NoteNote: The noncredit courses approved by the department to meet the entry-level training requirements for a school-age director are Introduction to the School-Age Care Profession and Skills and Strategies for the School-Age Teacher. School-age directors may also meet this requirement by completing both Guiding Behavior of Children in School-Age Programs and School-Age Curricular Framework in place of Skills and Strategies for the School-Age Teacher.
DCF 251.094(3)(d)(d) A person employed as a director in a school-age program prior to March 1, 2023, is not required to complete the preservice training specified in par. (c) 4. DCF 251.094(4)(a)(a) A school-age program leader shall plan, implement, and supervise the daily activities for a group of children, and is also responsible for communication with families, relations with the community, and coordination with other school-age staff. DCF 251.094(4)(b)2.2. Have completed high school or its equivalent as determined by the Wisconsin department of public instruction. DCF 251.094(4)(b)3.3. Have at least 240 hours of experience as a group leader, school-age assistant, public or private school teacher, student teacher or practicum, coach, camp counselor, mentor through a community-based organization, or in another approved setting. DCF 251.094(4)(c)(c) Prior to assuming the position, a person hired to be a school-age program leader shall complete or obtain one of the following: DCF 251.094(4)(c)1.1. Four credits in school-age child growth and development or its equivalent. DCF 251.094(4)(c)2.2. The first 2 courses of the Registry Afterschool & Youth Development Credential. DCF 251.094(4)(c)3.3. Two noncredit department-approved courses for school-age program and group leaders. DCF 251.094 NoteNote: The noncredit courses approved by the department to meet the entry level training requirements for a school-age program leader are Introduction to the School-Age Care Profession and Skills and Strategies for the School-Age Teacher. School-age program leaders may also meet this requirement by completing both Guiding Behavior of Children in School-Age Programs and School-Age Curricular Framework in place of Skills and Strategies for the School-Age Teacher.
DCF 251.094(4)(c)4.4. One noncredit department-approved course and 2 credits in education, physical education, community health, child guidance, recreation, psychology, social work, or juvenile justice. DCF 251.094 NoteNote: The noncredit course approved by the department to meet the entry level training requirement for a school-age program leader in combination with 2 credits is Introduction to the School-Age Care Profession.
DCF 251.094(5)(a)(a) A school-age group leader shall work under the supervision of a school-age program leader. DCF 251.094(5)(b)(b) A school-age group leader shall work with the program leader to plan, implement, and supervise the daily activities for a group of children. DCF 251.094(5)(c)2.2. Have completed high school or its equivalent as determined by the Wisconsin department of public instruction. DCF 251.094(5)(c)3.3. Have satisfactorily completed one of the following within 6 months after assuming the position: DCF 251.094 NoteNote: Introduction to the School-Age Care Profession is the noncredit course approved by the department to meet the entry level training requirements for a school-age group leader.
DCF 251.094(6)(a)(a) A school-age program aide shall work under the direction and supervision of a school-age program leader. DCF 251.094(6)(b)(b) A person who is a school-age program aide shall be at least 16 years of age. DCF 251.094(6)(c)(c) A school-age program aide shall either meet the qualifications of a program aide under s. DCF 251.05 (3) (gm) 3. or have satisfactorily completed at least one of the following within 6 months after assuming the position: DCF 251.094(6)(c)1.1. An assistant child care teacher training program approved by the Wisconsin department of public instruction. DCF 251.094(6)(c)2.2. At least 10 hours of training approved by the department in the care of school-age children. DCF 251.094 NoteNote: Introduction to the School-Age Care Profession is the noncredit course approved by the department to meet the entry-level training requirements for a school-age program aide.
DCF 251.094 HistoryHistory: CR 21-100: cr. Register February 2023 No. 806, eff. 3-1-23. DCF 251.095DCF 251.095 Additional requirements, modifications, and exceptions for school-age programs. DCF 251.095(1m)(a)(a) This section applies only to group child care centers that serve only school-age children and group child care centers that serve school-age children in groups separate from children who are under 5 years of age. DCF 251.095(2m)(a)(a) A school-age program shall be responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of a school-age child between the time the child arrives at the school-age program and the time the child is released to the child’s parent or to another activity that is specifically authorized in writing by the child’s parent. DCF 251.095(2m)(b)(b) Notwithstanding s. DCF 251.055 (1) (a), each child 7 years of age and older shall be supervised by a school-age program leader or child care teacher who is within sight or sound of the child to guide the child’s behavior and activities, prevent harm, and ensure safety, except as provided in pars. (d) to (f). DCF 251.095 NoteNote: DCF 251.055 (1) (a) requires sight and sound supervision.
DCF 251.095(2m)(d)(d) Notwithstanding s. DCF 251.055 (1) (c), a school-age group leader who has completed the training required under s. DCF 251.094 (5) (c) 3. or an assistant child care teacher who has completed the training required under s. DCF 251.05 (3) (g) 2. and is age 18 or over may provide sole supervision for a group of school-age children for no more than 45 minutes if there is a qualified school-age program leader or child care teacher on the premises. DCF 251.095(2m)(e)(e) A child 7 years of age or older may be authorized by the child care worker supervising the child to participate in program-sponsored activities in a school-age program away from the direct supervision of the assigned child care worker. DCF 251.095(2m)(f)(f) A child 7 years of age and older may move between groups of children if a tracking method is implemented to ensure that the assigned child care worker knows the whereabouts of the child. DCF 251.095(2m)(g)(g) 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. Notwithstanding s. DCF 251.055 (2) (j), at least one of the child care workers shall be a school-age program leader or a child care teacher. DCF 251.095(2m)(h)(h) A school-age program shall have on file an agreement, signed by the parent, that specifies the attendance schedule to be followed and authorizes the child’s release to activities away from the school-age program. DCF 251.095 NoteNote: The licensee may use either the department’s form, DCF-F-CFS0104-E, Alternate Arrival/Release Agreement — Child Care Centers, or the licensee’s own form for securing the parent’s signed agreement. The form is available at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs. DCF 251.095(3m)(3m) Additional requirements for meals and snacks. In addition to the requirements on meals, snacks, and food service in s. DCF 251.07 (5), the following provisions apply to school-age programs: DCF 251.095(3m)(a)(a) All children attending a school-age program when a meal or snack is served shall be offered the meal or snack. DCF 251.095(4m)(4m) Exceptions for school-age programs. The following provisions do not apply to school-age programs: DCF 251.095(4m)(b)(b) Section DCF 251.06 (11) (b) 7., regarding a permanent enclosure of outdoor play space. If hazards exist, such as traffic or bodies of water, the boundaries of outdoor play space shall be made known to the children. DCF 251.095(5m)(5m) Exceptions and modifications for school-age programs in school buildings. DCF 251.095(5m)(a)(a) Exceptions. The following requirements do not apply to school-age programs in school buildings that are currently in use as school buildings: DCF 251.095(5m)(a)1.1. Section DCF 251.04 (6) (a) 6m., relating to documentation of a school-age child’s immunization records, only if the school-age program has approved access to the school’s vaccination records. DCF 251.095(5m)(b)2.2. Section DCF 251.04 (3) (L), except that the licensee shall report any construction or remodeling on the premises that has the potential to affect an area accessible to children or a condition of the license in writing at least 10 working days before the construction or remodeling begins. DCF 251.095(5m)(b)3.3. Section DCF 251.05 (2) (a) (intro.), except that the licensee shall maintain a file on each employee or contracted employee. The file shall be available for examination by the licensing representative at the location of the school-age program within 2 hours after the request and shall include all of the following: DCF 251.095 NoteNote: The required records may be in an electronic format at the school-age program site.
DCF 251.095 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1997, No. 493, eff. 8-1-97; correction in (2) (c) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, April, 1999, No. 520; CR 03-052: renum. from HFS 46.10 and am. (1), (2) (intro.), (c), (3) (intro.) and cr. (3) (dm) Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 3-1-05; corrections in (2), (3) and (4) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; CR 07-102: am. (2) (intro.), (c), (e), (4) (a) 3., (b) 1. and 3., cr. (4) (a) 5. Register December 2008 No. 636, eff. 1-1-09; correction in (4) (b) 3. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; 2015 Wis. Act 132: am. (2) (d), (3) (a) Register February 2016 No. 722, eff. 3-1-16; EmR1918: emerg. cr. (3) (f), (g), am. (4) (b) 1. to 3., r. (4) (c), eff. 1-30-19; CR 19-089: cr. (3) (f), (g), am. (4) (b) 1. to 3., r. (4) (c) Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; correction in (2) (b), (d), (3) (a), (dm) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register March 2020 No. 771; CR 20-003: am. (2) (d), (e), (3) (a) Register July 2020 No. 775, eff. 8-1-20; CR 21-100: r. and recr. Register February 2023 No. 806, eff. 3-1-23; correction in (5m) (b) 2., 3. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register February 2023 No. 806. DCF 251.10DCF 251.10 Additional requirements for night care. DCF 251.10(1)(1) Applicability. Group child care centers that operate during any period of time between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. shall comply with the additional requirements of this section. DCF 251.10(2)(a)(a) A center offering night care may serve no more than 20 children at any one time between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless the building is equipped with emergency lighting supplied by a stand-by power source. DCF 251.10(2)(b)(b) When the same premises is used for the operation of both day care and night care, the number of children during any overlapping of the day care and night care periods may not exceed the maximum licensed capacity of the center. DCF 251.10(2)(d)(d) All child care workers on duty shall remain awake, available, within call and able to respond to the needs of the children during night care. DCF 251.10(2)(e)(e) The parent or center shall provide each child in night care with an individually labeled sleeping garment and a toothbrush. DCF 251.10(3)(a)(a) Child care staff shall work with a child’s parent to coordinate how the child spends his or her time during night care at the center with the family’s schedule. DCF 251.10(3)(b)(b) A center offering night care shall provide a self-contained room away from sleeping children where an awake child can engage in activities. DCF 251.10(3)(c)(c) An evening and morning schedule of program activities shall be planned for the hours that children in night care are awake. DCF 251.10(3)(d)(d) School-age children shall have an opportunity to read or do school work. DCF 251.10(4)(a)(a) Child care workers shall be given training in techniques of evacuating sleeping children in an emergency during orientation to the job.
