› Group Child Care Find Child Care steps Expression of Interest Preparation for Pre-Licensing Pre-Licensing Process Application Process Next Page: Pre-Licensing Process 50% Complete Preparing for Pre-Licensing Información en español The pre-licensing process helps prospective providers understand and meet Wisconsin’s licensing standards for group child care programs. It’s a road map that can help you build a sustainable business. Taking the simple steps below can prepare you for pre-licensing and ease your way into a new business career. Find Out If You’re Eligible There are a few potential barriers to obtaining a child care license in Wisconsin, including certain serious crimes and delinquencies. Review the Potential Barriers to Obtaining a Child Care Center License guide to learn more. All household members and individuals who have direct contact and unsupervised access to children in care, such as visiting family members of the licensee, must complete a background check to be eligible to operate a family or group child care center. Some offenses can permanently ban an individual from providing child care. Check the list of Barred Offenses for Regulated Child Care to learn more. Read Wisconsin administrative code DCF 251.11 to learn more about the basic eligibility requirements for licensed child care programs. Understanding the Community Need for Your Program Your local Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (CCR&R) can connect you with business resources and information on your community’s child care needs. They can help you identify in-demand services for your area and review the latest market rates set by similar child care providers. Talk to local community members and business owners about their needs and experiences. Explore the free resources provided by the Supporting Families Together Association on child care program budgeting, hiring, curriculum, marketing, etc. Complete the Group Child Care Business Start-Up Worksheet Based on your county and licensing region, select either the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association pre-licensing vendor (Northern, Southeastern) or the 4C for Children pre-licensing vendor (Northeastern, Southern, Western). They can help you answer important questions about your child care business that will help prepare you for pre-licensing. Use our interactive map to determine which region you are located in. Use the worksheet to organize your thoughts. Highlight any questions you cannot answer now and discuss them later with your pre-licensing technical consultant. Remember, this worksheet is not an official application for a Wisconsin child care license. Meet with a Pre-Licensing Technical Consultant You’re almost ready to start the pre-licensing process! Your local pre-licensing technical consultant will help you get ready to apply for your initial license. Your pre-licensing technical consultant will verify your contact information submitted through the EOI. They will also set you up for a required, free informational session. Start by reviewing all of the documents in the Group Child Care Inquiry Packet. Your dedicated technical consultant can help you fill out this paperwork and will answer any questions you have about DCF’s compliance rules and standards. They may also ask you for additional information not listed in the DCF inquiry packet. To provide on-site support, your technical consultant will visit your group child care program at least once before you submit your application. Some prospective providers may receive more than one on-site or virtual visit. Your technical consultant will provide you with an application for initial licensing once you’ve completed all the pre-licensing requirements. Once you have your application, take time to review the Initial Licensing Checklist - Group Child Care Centers with your technical consultant. It’s a great way to get ready to apply.
