Wisconsin Legislature: DCF 252.44(1)(b)5.

(a) Handwashing and toileting facilities shall be provided and accessible to children.

(b) Single-use disposable towels shall be provided and accessible to children.

(d) Outdoor toilets, when used, shall be constructed according to the requirements of the applicable Wisconsin commercial building codes and maintained in good repair.

(e) A portable toilet shall be in compliance with s. SPS 391.13 and local ordinances.

(f) Plumbing shall comply with all applicable sections of Wisconsin plumbing codes.

(g) Liquid waste disposal shall be connected to a public sewer, if available. If not available, liquid waste disposal shall be in accordance with chs. SPS 382, 383, and 384.

(h) Handwashing and toilet facilities shall be in clean and sanitary condition.

History: Cr. Register, October, 1984, No. 346, eff. 11-1-84; corrections in (1) (d) and (3) (e) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, July, 1999, No. 523; CR 04-040: am. (1) (d) and cr. (2) (a) 8. Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05; correction in (3) (c) 1. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; CR 07-102: r. and recr. (1) (a) to (c), (2) (a) 4., 5. and (3) (c) 1., am. (1) (d), (e), (2) (a) 3., 6., 7., (b) 1. to 4., (3) (a) 1., 2., 4., 5., (b) 1. to 3., (c) 2., 5., (d) 1., 2., 3., (e) 2., 4., 6. and 7., cr. (1) (f), (g), (2) (a) 9., (3) (c) 6. to 8. and (d) 2m., r. (2) (a) 2. c. and (3) (c) 3. Register December 2008 No. 636, eff. 1-1-09; correction in (3) (d) 2. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2008 No. 636; correction in (3) (d) 2. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register August 2011 No. 668; correction in (3) (e) 7. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register January 2012 No. 673; EmR1918: emerg. r. and recr. (1) (f), cr. (1) (h) to (m), r. and recr. (2), (3), cr. (3m), (4), (5), eff. 1-30-19; CR 19-089: r. and recr. (1) (f), cr. (1) (h) to (m), r. and recr. (2), (3), cr. (3m), (4), (5) Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; correction in (2) (title) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 2., Stats., Register 2020 No. 771; CR 21-100: cr. (3) (fm), r. and recr. (4) Register February 2023 No. 806, eff. 3-1-23; correction in (4) (c) 4. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register January 2024 No. 817.

DCF 252.44 Program.

(1) Program planning and implementation.

(a) Each day camp shall have a written program of activities that shall be planned according to the developmental level of each child and each group of children and intended to expose children to a variety of cultures. The needs of children with disabilities shall be considered when planning the programming and activities for enrolled children. The program of activities shall focus on the outdoors and the natural environment and shall reflect the camp’s written policies. The program shall provide each child with experiences that will promote all of the following:

1. An appreciation and understanding of the natural environment.

2. Large and small muscle development.

3. Intellectual growth.

4. Self-esteem and positive self-image.

5. Opportunities for recreation.

6. Social interaction.

7. Creative expression.

8. Self-expression and communication skills.

9. Literacy skills.

Note: With parental consent and consultation, it is recommended that camps who care for children who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) coordinate programming activities with the local school district.

(b) The program shall:

1. Protect the children from excessive fatigue and from overstimulation.

2. Encourage spontaneous activities.

3. Be planned to provide a flexible balance each day of:

a. Active and quiet activities.

b. Individual and group activities.

4. Provide daily opportunities for children to play outdoors except during inclement weather or when not advisable for health reasons.

5. Provide reasonable regularity in eating, resting and other routines.

6. Provide daily periods when a variety of experiences are concurrently available for the children to select their own activities.

7. Limit the amount of time that children are kept waiting in lines or assembled in large groups during routines such as toileting and eating and intervals between activities.

(2) Child guidance.

(a) Each day camp shall have a written policy on guiding children’s behavior which provides for positive guidance, redirection and the setting of clear-cut limits. The policy shall be designed to help each child develop self-control, self-esteem, and respect for the rights of others.

(b)

1. In this paragraph, “time-out period” means a break from the large group that a counselor offers a child to provide the child an opportunity to calm and regain composure while being supported by the counselor.

2. A camp may use a time-out period to handle a child’s unacceptable behavior only if all of the following conditions are met:

a. The counselor offers the child the time-out period in a non-humiliating manner.

b. The time-out period does not exceed 3 minutes.

c. The child is not isolated.

d. The child is not removed from the group location.

3. The procedures for a time-out period shall be included in the camp guidance policy under par. (a).

(c) Actions that may be psychologically, emotionally or physically painful, discomforting, dangerous or potentially injurious are prohibited. Examples of prohibited actions include:

1. Spanking, hitting, pinching, shaking, slapping, twisting, throwing or inflicting any other form of corporal punishment.

2. Verbal abuse, threats or derogatory remarks about the child or the child’s family.

3. Physical restraint, binding or tying to restrict movement or enclosing in a confined space such as a closet, locked room, box or similar cubicle.

4. Withholding or forcing meals, snacks or naps.

5. Actions that are aversive, cruel, frightening or humiliating.

(d) Children shall not be punished for lapses in toilet training.

(3) Equipment and furnishings.

(a) The camp shall provide program equipment and furnishings in a variety and quantity that allows staff to implement activities outlined in the written policy on program objectives and activities required under s. DCF 252.41 (1) (f) 5. and meets all of the following criteria:

1. Provides for large muscle development.

2. Provides construction activities and for the development of manipulative skills.

3. Encourages social interaction.

4. Provides intellectual stimulation.

5. Encourages creative expression.

(b) All equipment and furnishings, whether or not owned by the camp, shall be:

1. Scaled to the developmental level, size and ability of the children.

2. Safe, durable, of sturdy construction with no sharp, rough, loose, protruding, pinching or pointed edges, or areas of entrapment, in good operating condition, and anchored when necessary.

3. Placed to avoid danger of accident and collision and to permit freedom of action.

4. Used in accordance with all manufacturer’s instructions and any manufacturer’s recommendations that may affect the safety of children in care.

(d) No trampolines or inflatable bounce surfaces on the premises may be accessible to children or used by children in care.

(4) Rest. When a session is more than 4 hours in length, there shall be a rest period or period of quiet activities of at least 30 minutes for all children under 5 years of age.

(5) Meals, snacks, and food service.

(a) Food shall be provided in accordance with Table DCF 252.44 which is based on the amount of time children are present. Food may be served at flexible intervals, but no child may go without nourishment for longer than 3 hours.

(b) Camp-provided transportation time shall be included in determining the total number of hours a child is present for the purpose of par. (a).

(c) Food allergies of specific children shall be reported to cooks, counselors and substitutes having direct contact with children.

(d) Menus for meals and snacks provided by the camp shall:

1. Be posted in the kitchen and in a conspicuous place accessible to parents.

2. Be planned at least one week in advance, dated and kept on file for 3 months.

3. Be available for review by the department.

4. Include diverse types of food.

(e) At a minimum, each meal and snack provided to children shall meet the U.S. department of agriculture child and adult care food program minimum meal requirements for amounts and types of food. Additional portions of vegetables, fruits, bread, and milk shall be available.

Note: The USDA meal program requirements may be found on the website, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/meals-and-snacks.

(f) When food for a child is provided by the child’s parent, the camp shall provide the parent with information about requirements for food groups and quantities specified by the U.S. department of agriculture child and adult care food program minimum meal requirements.

(g) A special diet, based on a medical condition, excluding food allergies, but including nutrient concentrates and supplements, may be served only upon written instruction of a child’s physician and upon request of the parent. A special diet based on a food allergy may be served upon the written request of the parent.

(6) Health.

(a) Observation. Each child upon arrival at the camp shall be observed by a staff person for symptoms of illness. For an apparently ill child, the procedure under par. (c) shall be followed.

(b) Health supervision. There shall be an adult at the camp at all times who is responsible for health supervision. The on-site health supervisor shall be one of the following:

1. A physician licensed in Wisconsin.

2. A registered nurse or practical nurse licensed in Wisconsin.

3. A physician assistant licensed in Wisconsin.

4. An emergency medical technician.

5. A person currently certified as having completed the American Red Cross Standard First Aid course or equivalent.

(bm) If a public or private rescue or emergency vehicle cannot arrive at the camp within 10 minutes of a phone call, a person who is certified by the department as a first responder under ch. DHS 110 must be on the premises during the hours when children are present. This person may serve as the camp health supervisor.

1. There shall be an isolation or first aid area for the care of children who become ill. If the area is not a separate room, it shall be separated from space used by other children by a partition, screen or other means.

2. When an apparently ill child is observed in the day camp, the following procedures shall apply: