DCF 251.05(4)(c)9.9. 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.
DCF 251.05 NoteNote: 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.
DCF 251.05 HistoryHistory: 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 251.055DCF 251.055Supervision and grouping of children.
DCF 251.055(1)(1)Supervision.
DCF 251.055(1)(a)(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.
DCF 251.055(1)(b)(b) At least one child care teacher shall supervise each group of children, except as provided in par. (c).
DCF 251.055(1)(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.
DCF 251.055(1)(d)(d) A child care worker may not provide care for children at the center for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period.
DCF 251.055(1)(e)(e) A child may not be in care for more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period.
DCF 251.055(1)(f)(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.
DCF 251.055(1)(g)(g) A child may not be released to any person who has not been previously authorized by the parent.
DCF 251.055(1)(h)(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.
DCF 251.055(1)(i)(i) No person under 18 years of age shall be left in sole charge of a child.
DCF 251.055(1)(j)(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.
DCF 251.055(2)(2)Grouping of children.
DCF 251.055(2)(a)(a) The maximum number of children in a group may not exceed the number specified in Table 251.055.
DCF 251.055(2)(b)(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 PDF
DCF 251.055(2)(c)(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.
DCF 251.055 NoteNote: 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.
DCF 251.055(2)(d)(d) When infants and toddlers are part of a mixed-age group, the size of the group may not exceed 8.
DCF 251.055(2)(e)(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.
DCF 251.055(2)(f)(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.
DCF 251.055(2)(g)(g) During naptime, an adjustment in group size and staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 may be made as follows:
DCF 251.055(2)(g)1.1. 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).
DCF 251.055(2)(g)2.2. Staff-to-child ratios shall be maintained in the center during naptime.
DCF 251.055(2)(g)3.3. Maximum group size requirements do not apply to napping groups.
DCF 251.055(2)(g)4.4. As children wake, sight and sound supervision and staff-to-child ratios in Table 251.055 shall be maintained for awake children.