Family Child Care Certification Online Application Guide Use the guidance found on this page along with instructions in the Expression of Interest (EOI) Application Guide and the Becoming a Provider: Submitting Your Application Guide to prepare, complete and submit your child care certification application. Prepare to Apply Prepare to Apply Review the Start-Up Information and Resources on the Certification webpage. Review and follow the instructions on the Expression of Interest (EOI) User Guide. The EOI User Guide details how potential providers can access the Child Care Provider Portal and begin the process of becoming a certified child care provider by using the Expression of Interest (EOI) tool in DCF’s Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP). If you have not already done so, submitting an EOI is the first step towards becoming a regulated child care provider. Determine and select the regulation type for your Expression of Interest submission in the Child Care Provider Portal, if you have not already done so. Certified Family Licensing - See the Starting a Licensed Child Care webpage Currently Certified Operators Interested in Obtaining a Family Child Care License If you are an existing, currently certified family child care operator and are interested in applying for a family child care license, do not submit an Expression of Interest using the Child Care Provider Portal. Existing certified operators may begin the licensing process by contacting the appropriate pre-licensing agency listed on the bottom of the Starting a Licensed Child Care webpage. If an existing/currently certified family child care operator submits an EOI for family child care licensing in error, this will create a new location number for your facility/program and have adverse consequences related to your YoungStar Quality Rating, Wisconsin Shares Authorizations, Child Care Counts and FIS/MyWIChildCare. If an EOI was submitted in error, please contact the regional licensing office for assistance. In order to submit an Expression of Interest you must submit a Taxpayer ID. This may be your Social Security Number(SSN) or other Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). If you do not want to enter a Taxpayer ID at this time, but you are interested in learning more about starting a certified child care program, you may contact your local certification agency. Once your EOI is submitted, you will be contacted by a representative from your area to help you move though the next steps in applying for family child care certification. Before submitting an application for family child care certification, it is important you become familiar with the DCF 202 Child Care Certification Rules. Each certification agency provides certification orientation information and/or orientation sessions for prospective child care providers. After submitting your Expression of Interest the local certification agency should have reached out to you to share information, learn more about your plans, and to explain their certification application process to you. List of local certification agencies. Check with your local municipality to determine whether your family child care program will require additional permits or if the local government has specific restrictions or additional requirements pertaining to family child care. Family Day Care Homes - Milwaukee Requirements & Analysis Form (for family child care in the City of Milwaukee) Occupancy Permit - City of Racine Timeline As an applicant, you can expect the certification process to take 2 to 4 months to complete after you submit your complete online application. Certification agency procedures and individual circumstances may affect the actual time required to issue your family child care certification. Using the online application reduces processing time, enabling you to complete the certification process sooner. Your application cannot be processed until all questions are answered thoroughly and correctly, and all forms/documents are uploaded. You will not be granted certification until: All individuals associated with your child care program are determined eligible by the DCF Child Care Background Check Unit The home has been inspected and meets all of the certification standards All required forms and documentation required under DCF 202 are submitted Complete the Application Log into the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP) with your User ID and Password Can’t log in - create an account or reset password. If you have submitted the EOI and completed the agency’s orientation you will see a “Begin Application” button with a red Apply Now tag. Click to begin your online certification application. Required and optional information in the online application Required information in the online application will be noted with a red asterisk. These questions/fields must be completed in order to proceed or submit the online application. Providing additional optional information may be helpful to the department in processing your application and collecting data related to child care certification. Save Your Work! Each screen will have a Next or Save button at the bottom. Click Next to move to the next screen and to save your progress. The sandwich menu in the top right corner will indicate with a check mark the sections of the online application you have completed. Uploading forms and documents The upload document feature in the online application will assist you in submitting supporting documentation for your child care certification application. See the instructions for Preparing Documents for Uploading. Required Documents Include: Tuberculosis Screening – The applicant and any individuals volunteering/working in the home as caregivers must submit a TB screening form signed by a health care practitioner. After submission of your application, a certification worker will reach out to collect your TB screening documentation. Well-water test results, if the home's water source comes from a well. Training Documentation – Be prepared to submit documentation of required training for each caregiver, including the applicant. See Certification Training Requirements. After submission of your application, a certification worker will reach out to collect your training documentation. Completed Standards and Checklist – Use the checklist to self-assess your home and child care program to ensure compliance with certification rules. Vehicle Insurance – If you plan to transport children you will be required to submit documentation of vehicle liability insurance. Certificate of Pet Vaccination (if applicable) Regulatory Agency Approval Form – required if the home is also licensed for foster care or adult family home Finalist Address When entering an address you may see an error message. The system checks “Finalist” software, used by the US Postal Service, to check if the address provided is a valid address, if not, an Error message displays. The system displays three options: Use the address as suggested by Finalist (recommended). This will change the address to match the Finalist software. Resubmit the address to finalist. Modify or correct something about the address and click Next. Use the address as entered. If this option is chosen, there might be problems with mail delivery and mapping the address on the Child Care Finder site. When appropriate and possible, choose the address suggested by Finalist to assure accurate mail delivery. Water source –Is your water source public water or private well? If private well, submit water test results. The water shall be tested annually by a laboratory certified under ch. ATCP 77 and shall be found bacteriologically safe. An operator certified to care for infants under six months of age shall have water tested annually for nitrates by a laboratory certified under ch. ATCP 77. Well water tests results must be less than 12 months old. DNR Water Testing Resources Wisconsin DNR list of laboratories Applicant Details Several fields in the Applicant Details page will carry over from your Expression of Interest. If you add additional information be sure to click Save at the bottom and you will continue Location Details. Standards and Checklist Upload a completed and signed Standards and Checklist signifying you have reviewed and understand the certification requirements and have completed a self-assessment of your home and child care program. Read the instructions on page 1 carefully before completing the checklist. Radon Testing This is not required for certification and may be left blank. Are pets (dogs or cats) allowed in areas of the home accessible to children during the hours of operation? As you navigate to the Program Features page you will later be asked to provide detailed information about pets. For each dog/cat, be prepared to enter the name and breed of each dog/cat and upload/submit a current certificate from a veterinarian documenting rabies vaccination and enter the date the next rabies vaccination is next due for each dog/cat. Compliance/Monitoring Results Indicate if you wish to receive monitoring results via email. Other Authorized Person Is there a person who is authorized to sign subsequent applications concerning this center on behalf of the applicant? If so, enter that individual’s name and title. If no other individuals are authorized leave the fields blank. Care Location Tell us if care will be provided in your home or in a specific family’s home. If you will be providing care in the child’s home, the child/ren you plan to care for must be approved for an in-home Wisconsin Shares authorization before your application can be processed. Note: Make sure your home and/or child care business meets any requirements of your city, county, or any other local ordinances. In some cities, including Milwaukee, this must be your primary residence. The physical/location address may be the same as the applicant address, but may not be a P.O. Box. Mailing Address If your mailing address is different than the location address be sure to select the appropriate radio button and enter the mailing address. This is the mailing address you wish to receive notices and correspondence. The mailing address may be a P.O. Box, if applicable. Operational Details Months of Operation – Will you provide care 12 months out of the year or only during summer months? Select the months you are requesting to operate your child care business. Days of Operation – Select days of operation and indicate whether your plan to provide care on weekends. Hours of Operation – Certified providers may care for children for up to 16 hours in a 24-hour time period. Enter your requested start/end time. If you wish to provide non-traditional or variable hours you may discuss the details with your certifier during the initial onsite inspection. Capacity – A provider may not care for more than 3 children under age 7 and no more than a maximum of 6 children (including the provider’s related/residential children under age 7) Ages Served Enter the youngest and oldest ages you are requesting to care for. If you plan to care for children under 1 year of age, training in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Reduction is required. If you plan to care for children under 5 years of age, department-approved training in Abusive Head Trauma Prevention is required. See the Certification Training webpage for more information about required training. Individuals To enter the applicant into the Individuals Module, click Copy Applicant and finish entering applicant details and residency details. Select “yes” if you have used an Alias name in the past. Once you copy your individual details you will enter your Background Check Request Form Details, answering each question truthfully. Generate the Fingerprint Code for yourself and then return to Individual Details to add other individuals residing or working in your home. Provide the name, date of birth, and relationship to the applicant for every person who lives in the home* and for volunteers or employees who do not live in the home. *Applicants for certified in-home care (care in the child’s home) do not need to submit names of household members. Background Check Requests Be prepared to submit Background Check Requests (BCR) for each individual age 10 and older (including the applicant) who live on the premise or who will volunteer/work in the child care program. The BCR requires personal identifying information, as well as disclosures of specific information. Failure to complete a BCR will result in a delay in the submission and processing of your application. Failure to complete the form accurately/truthfully may result in the denial of your application. See more Fee information below and background check FAQs. Provide the name, date of birth and relationship to the applicant for every person who lives in the home* and for volunteers or employees who do not live in the home. *Applicants for certified in-home care (care in the child’s home) do not need to submit names of household members. Pets Add the Pet Type (dog or cat), name, and rabies vaccine due date for each pet in your home. Transportation Will the child care program provide transportation to children in care to/from school, home or fieldtrips? If you intend to transport children be prepared to submit a copy of your driving record and review all transportation-related rules including vehicle alarm requirements. If a vehicle has a seating capacity of 6 or more passengers plus the driver, a safety vehicle alarm is required. Learn more about vehicle safety alarms. Be prepared to upload proof of vehicle liability insurance for each vehicle used to transport children in care. Check with your insurance carrier to verify if your existing insurance coverage will also cover business-related transportation. Upload vehicle insurance documents under the Insurance page. For Insurance type select vehicle (for certification leave questions regarding number of children covered and pets blank) If the vehicle(s) is owned/leased by applicant or employee, be prepared to enter the year, color, make, model, and license plate number for each vehicle used to transport children in care. A vehicle inspection report is not required for certification, however, the vehicle must be: Registered with the Wisconsin department of transportation or the appropriate authority in another state. Clean, uncluttered, and free of obstruction on the floors, aisles, and seats. In safe operating condition. Fees Regulatory Fees - The agency responsible for administering family child care certification for your county or tribal nation may charge application fees. Fees for child care certification in Milwaukee County may be paid by e-payment (Manage Regulatory Fees) feature in the Child Care Provider Portal. For applicants outside of Milwaukee, please consult with your certification agency regarding fees, including how and when they are to be paid. For applicants outside of Milwaukee, please consult with your certification agency regarding fees, including how and when they are to be paid. Background Check Fees - Be prepared to schedule a Wisconsin Fieldprint appointment using the Wisconsin Fieldprint instructions and individual codes provided to you (and other adults subject to the background check requirements) by DCF. The cost of the fingerprint-based background check is $30 per person age 18+, and must be paid online with a valid credit card or electronic check when scheduling the Fieldprint appointment. For more information about background check requirements visit the FAQ webpage. The certification agency will schedule an inspection site visit once your application has been processed and approved, and an eligible background check determination has been made. YoungStar and Wisconsin Shares Subsidy YoungStar is Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system. The program gives parents and caregivers the tools and information they need to give their kids a great start—and find quality child care that fits their needs. YoungStar also supports Wisconsin’s child care providers by offering resources, training, and technical assistance designed to enhance their quality of care. Child care providers wishing to receive Wisconsin Shares on behalf of eligible families must complete and submit a YoungStar Contract. To learn more about Wisconsin’s quality rating and improvement system visit the YoungStar webpage.
