Appendix B: WI DCF 251 Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Center Highlights

The complete licensing regulation can be found in the DCF 251 Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Centers and Child Care programs. Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Centers DCF 251, DCF-P-PFS205 (wisconsin.gov)

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 2 include:

DCF 251.055 Supervision and Grouping of Children

Maximum Number of Children in a Group

Age Group	Ratio	Maximum Group Size
Birth to 2 Years	1:4	8
2 years to 2½ Years	1:6	12
2½ Years to 3 Years	1:8	16
3 Years to 4 Years	1:10	20
4 Years to 5 Years	1:13	26
5 Years and Over	1:18	36

• 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.
• At least one child care teacher shall supervise each group of children.
• 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.
• A child care worker may not provide care for children at the center for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period
• A child may not be in care for more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period.
• During naptime, an adjustment in group size and staff-to-child ratios in may be made as follows:
  • One child care worker shall be within sight or sound of each group of sleeping children.
  • Staff-to-child ratios shall be maintained in the center during naptime.
  • Maximum group size requirements do not apply to napping groups.
  • As children wake, sight and sound supervision and staff-to-child ratios shall be maintained for awake children.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 3 include:

• The indoor and outdoor premises shall be free of hazards including any recalled products.
• Materials harmful to children, including power tools, flammable or combustible materials, insecticides, matches, drugs, cleaning supplies, bleaches, and other hazardous, toxic, or poisonous articles shall be appropriately labeled and stored in areas inaccessible to children
• Stairs, walks, ramps and porches shall be maintained in a safe condition and free from the accumulation of water, ice or snow.
• Cleaning aids such as mops and brooms shall be clean. Buckets used with mops shall be emptied and stored in areas inaccessible to children
• Garbage containers in the building shall be rigid, covered, watertight, and emptied daily or more often as needed. Compactors need not be emptied daily. Garbage and refuse stored out of doors shall be kept in leak-proof containers equipped with tight-fitting covers and shall be disposed of as necessary to prevent decomposition or overflow.
• Windows and doors that are used for ventilation shall be screened.
• The space used by children shall be no less than 35 square feet of usable floor space for each child, exclusive of passageways, kitchens, bathrooms, coat storage areas, offices, storage areas, isolation quarters, staff room, furnace room, parts of rooms occupied by stationary equipment, and areas not at all times available to children, including areas used exclusively for large muscle activity, napping or eating.
• There shall be at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space for each child 2 years of age or older using the space at a given time, and at least 35 square feet of outdoor play space for each child under 2 years of age using the space at a given time.

• Indoor furnishings and equipment shall be safe and durable. The equipment and furnishings shall be:
  • Scaled to the developmental level, size and ability of the children.
  • 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.
  • Placed to avoid danger of injury or collision and to permit freedom of action.
  • Placed over an energy-absorbing surface, when equipment is 4 feet or more in height.
  • Used in accordance with all manufacturer’s instructions and any manufacturer’s recommendations that may affect the safety of children in care.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 4 include:

DCF 251.06 Physical Plant and Equipment

Outdoor Play Space

• Requirement for outdoor play space. A center shall have outdoor play space if children are present for more than 3 hours per day or if outdoor play is included in the center program.
• There shall be at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space for each child 2 years of age or older using the space at a given time.
• There shall be at least 35 square feet of outdoor play space for each child under 2 years of age using the space at a given time.
• An energy-absorbing surface, such as loose sand, pea gravel, or pine or bark mulch, in a depth of at least 9 inches is required under climbing equipment, swings, and slides whenever the play equipment is 4 feet or more in height and in a fall zone of 4 feet beyond the equipment. Shredded rubber and poured surfacing shall be installed to the manufacturer’s specifications based on the height of the equipment.
• he boundaries of the outdoor play space shall be defined by a permanent enclosure not less than 4 feet high to protect the children. Fencing, plants, or landscaping may be used to create a permanent enclosure. The permanent enclosure may not have any open areas that are greater than 4 inches.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 5 include:

DCF 251.06 Physical Plant and Equipment

• Each center shall have a written plan for taking appropriate action in the event of an emergency, including fire, tornado, or flood; extreme heat or cold; loss of building services, including heat, water, electricity, or telephone; human- caused events, such as threats to the building or its occupants; allergic reactions; lost or missing children; vehicle accidents; or other circumstances requiring immediate attention. The plan shall include procedures for all of the following:
  • Evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place, and lock-down.
  • Ensuring the needs of children under 2 years of age and children with disabilities are met.
  • Communication with parents.
• Connecting children with their parents if the center is required to evacuate the building.
  • Each center shall do all of the following:
  • Post the fire evacuation route and tornado shelter areas.
  • Practice the fire evacuation plan monthly, and tornado drills monthly from April through October.
  • Ensure that all staff members know what their duties are if there is an emergency.
  • Keep a written record of dates and times all fire and tornado drills practiced.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 6 include:

DCF 251.05 Staff

• Documentation of a completed child care background check that indicates the person is eligible to work in a child care program is required
• child care worker, center administrator, center director, and volunteers counted in staff-to-child ratio shall be physically, mentally, and emotionally able to provide responsible care for all children, including children with disabilities.
• Each child care worker, center administrator, center director, volunteer counted in staff-to-child ratio, or substitute who provides care and supervision to children under 5 years of age shall document completion of department−approved training in shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, and appropriate ways to manage crying, fussing, or distraught children prior to beginning to work with children under 5 years of age.

DCF 251.04 Operational requirements

• A licensee, employee or volunteer at a child care center who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected as defined in ss. 48.02 (1) and 48.981 (1), Stats., shall immediately contact the county department of social services or human services or a local law enforcement agency, as required by s. 48.981, Stats. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/sta...atutes/48/i/02

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 7 include:

DCF 251.04 Operational Requirements

• The licensee shall maintain a current written record obtained prior to the child’s first day of attendance or subsequent re-enrollment at the center on each child enrolled and shall make the record available to the licensing representative on request. Each record shall include
  • Enrollment information - name, birthdate, address, phone number, emergency contact information, etc.
  • Written consent from the parent for emergency medical care or treatment.
  • uthorization from the parent outlining the plan for a child to come to the center from school, home or other activities or to go from the center to school, home or other activities unless the child is accompanied by a parent or other authorized person or transported by the center.
  • Documentation of each child’s health history on a form provided by the department.
  • Documentation of each child’s most recent physical examination.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 8 include:

251.07(6) Isolation for Illness

• A center shall have an isolation area or the care of children who appear to be 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 to keep other children away from the ill child.
• The child shall be isolated until the child can be removed from the center.
• The child in isolation areas shall be within sight and sound supervision of a staff member.

251.06(2)(h) Smoking Prohibition

• Smoking is prohibited on the premises of a Child Care Center or in a vehicle used to transport children.

251.06 (2)(a-o) Buildings and Grounds

• The center shall be clean, safe, sanitary and in good repair at all times.

251.07(3)(h)

• There shall be sufficient storage space for the clothing and personal belongings of each child in attendance.

251.07(4) Napping Equipment

• Sleeping surface may be a bed, cot, padded mat, sleeping bag, crib or playpen.
• The sleeping surface must be clean, safe, washable and placed at least 2 feet from the nearest sleeping child.
• Bedding must be maintained and stored in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Bedding shall be washed after every 5 uses

251.09 Infant Care Personal Services

• Plan toilet training in cooperation with the parent for consistency between the center and the child’s home.
• Change wet or soiled diaper promptly
• Soiled or wet clothing provided by the infant’s representative shall be placed in a labeled plastic bag and given to the representative at the end of the day.
• Towels and washcloths used for cleaning infants shall not be shared and shall be washed after each use.
• The changing table shall be cleaned with soap & water and disinfectant solution after each use.
• 251.06(10)2.
• Whenever a potty chair is used, it shall be emptied, rinsed, and disinfected immediately after use
• 251.06(6)(i)
• Children’s hands shall be washed with soap and warm running water. Hands and face washed when soiled. Children under one year of age, hands may be washed with a wet fabric or paper washcloth that is used once and discarded.

251.07(6)(g) Infant Care General Sanitation

• Surfaces exposed to bodily secretions including walls, floors, toys, equipment and furnishings shall be washed with soap & water and disinfected.

251.09(2)

• The non-walking child who can creep or crawl shall have a safe, clean, open, warm and uncluttered area to move freely.
• Place disposable soiled diapers and gloves, if used, I a plastic-lined, hands-free, covered container immediately.
• Remove soiled diapers from containers at least daily. Containers shall be washed and disinfected daily.
• Objects that are used by infants that are mouthed shall be washed and disinfected.

251.07(6)(i)2.

• Persons shall wash their hands with soap and warm running water before handling food, before & after assisting with toileting and diapering, after wiping bodily secretions from a child with a disposable tissue, and after exposure to blood or bodily fluids.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 9 include:

• Observation. Each child upon arrival at a center shall be observed by a staff person for symptoms of illness and injury. For an apparently ill child, the procedure under par. (c) shall be followed.
• Isolation. A center shall have an isolation area for the care of children who appear to be 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 to keep other children away from the ill child.
• Ill child procedure. The following procedures shall apply when a child with an illness or condition that has the potential to affect the health of other persons, such as vomiting, diarrhea, unusual lethargy, or uncontrolled coughing, is observed in the child care center:
  • The child shall be isolated until the child can be removed from the center
  • The child in the isolation area shall be within sight and sound supervision of a staff member
  • The child shall be provided with a bed, crib, playpen, cot, or padded mat and a sheet and blanket or a sleeping bag.
  • The child’s parent or emergency contact shall be contacted as soon as possible after the illness is discovered and arrangements shall be made for the child to be removed from the center

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 10 include:

• Center staff may give prescription or non-prescription medication, such as pain relievers, teething gels or cough syrup, to a child only under the following conditions:

• A written authorization that includes the child’s name and birthdate, name of medication, administration instructions, medication intervals and length of the authorization dated and signed by the parent is on file. Blanket authorizations that exceed the length of time specified on the label are prohibited. In centers where the licensee chooses to handle medication:
  • Medications must be kept inaccessible to children.
  • Prescription medications must be administered in accordance with the label directions as prescribed by the child’s physician and there must be written approval and instructions from the child’s authorized representative before giving medication to the child.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 11 include:

• Each group child care center shall have a written program of activities which are suitable for the developmental level of each child and each group of children. The program shall provide each child with experiences which will promote all of the following
  • Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners website at http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/ or through the Child Care Information Center at 1-800-362-7353.
  1. Self-esteem and positive self-image.
  2. Social interaction.
  3. Self-expression and communication skills.
  4. Creative expression.
  5. Large and small muscle development.
  6. Intellectual growth.
  7. Literacy

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 12 include:

• 251.06(9)(c)3m: Meals shall be prepared on the premises, in a central kitchen operated by the child care center or in another location that has been inspected by a representative of a state agency.

Licensed child care providers must

• follow the Federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal plan requirements.
• Participate in the orientation under s. DCF 251.05 (4) (a) and shall document annual training of at least 4 hours in kitchen sanitation, food handling, and nutrition.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 13 include:

• Food shall be provided by the center based on the amount of time children are present as specified in Table 251.07.

TABLE 251.07 Meal and Snack Requirements for each Child in a Group Child Care Center
Time a Child is Present	Number of Meals and Snacks
At least 2½ but less than 4 hours	1 snack
At least 4 but less than 8 hours	1 snack and 1 meal
At least 8 but less than 10 hours	2 snacks and 1 meal
At least 10 or more hours	2 meals and 2 or 3 snacks

• Food shall be served at flexible intervals, but no child may go without nourishment for longer than 3 hours.

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 14 include:

• At a minimum, children shall be provided food for each meal and snack that meets 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
• Cooks, staff members, child care workers and substitutes having direct contact with the children shall be informed about food allergies and other allergies of specific children.
• Eating surfaces, including high chairs, shall be washed and sanitized before and after each use

DCF 251.09 (3) Feeding

• Feed each infant and each toddler on the child’s own feeding schedule.
• Ensure that food, breast milk, and formula brought from home are labeled with the child’s name and the date and are refrigerated, if required.
• Ensure that food, breast milk, and formula offered to infants and toddlers is consistent with the requirements of the U.S. department of agriculture child and adult care food program

DCF 251 Administrative Code regulations that relate to chapter 15 include:

• At a minimum, children shall be provided food for each meal and snack that meets 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
• Cooks, staff members, child care workers and substitutes having direct contact with the children shall be informed about food allergies and other allergies of specific children.
• Eating surfaces, including high chairs, shall be washed and sanitized before and after each use

DCF 251.09 (3) Feeding

• Feed each infant and each toddler on the child’s own feeding schedule.
• Ensure that food, breast milk, and formula brought from home are labeled with the child’s name and the date and are refrigerated, if required.