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Obtaining a Children's Residential Program or Child Placing Agency License

Providing care to Wisconsin's children is a valuable service to families and the community. There are many things to think about and many steps to take.  In an effort to assist those persons interested in starting a licensed program, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has the following suggestions.

Step 1: You need to decide what type of license that you are interested in.  DCF licenses the following programs:

Group Foster Care (Also, known as a "Group Home"): "Group Home" means a facility operated by person licensed by the Department pursuant to s. 48.625, Stats. to provide 24-hour care for 5 to 8 residents.  

Residential Care Center : "Residential care center for children and youth" or "center" or "RCC" means a residential facility required to be licensed as a child welfare agency under s. 48.60, Stats. that provides treatment and custodial services for children, youth and young adults ages 18, 19 or 20.  

Shelter Care: "Shelter Care" means a short-term, nonsecure residential care and physical custody of children pending court action.  "Short-term" means a maximum of 30 days for each episode, with extension for up to another 30 days as provided in s. HFS 59.05(3)(b), except that for a hold-over room "short-term" means not longer than 24 hours or, if the placement is made on a Friday or on the weekend, not longer than over the weekend until the following Monday.

Child Placing Agency: "Child Placing agency' means a child welfare agency licensed to place children in licensed family foster homes and licensed group homes.

Step 2: An inquiry packet needs to be requested from the Department of Children and Families.  Inquiry packets contain the licensing rule book and other information necessary to begin the start-up process.  

Print and complete a copy of the Ordering Information - Inquiry Packets form and send it with the required fee to:

Department of Children and Families
2187 N. Stevens St. Ste. C
Rhinelander, WI  54501

Step 3: Review the materials contained in the inquiry packet.

  • Please read each document very carefully in the packet.

Step 4: (For RCC's only) Complete the Needs Determination under HFS 52.61 before an application is submitted to BRL.

  • Shelter Care, Child Placing Agencies and Group Homes go to Step 5.

Step 5: Complete the application.

  • Please review the application very carefully.

  • Submit all the required documents with your application. This includes the licensing checklist.  Please review this checklist to ensure that your agency meets all of the licensing rules.

  • Submit the appropriate fee with your application.

  • Send the application and fee to the regional licensing office serving the county in which agency will be located in.

Step 6: Once the regional licensing office has received your application materials and reviewed them to ensure that all necessary items have been submitted, a licensing specialist will be assigned to your program. The licensing specialist will contact you to schedule an initial licensing study visit and complete the licensing process.  If you are not in compliance with all the items on the checklist at the time of the visit by the licensing specialist, the issuance of your license may be delayed.

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Last Revised:  October 27, 2009