Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education

Bureau of Early Care Regulation

Child Care Certification Policy Manual

2.2.8 - Standards and Checklist Form

• This multi-page document is important to both the certification worker and to the certification applicant / operator because it clearly outlines the certification standards that must be met in order to obtain certification.
  

• The certification applicant and certification worker shall carefully follow the instructions on page 1 of the form. The applicant / operator may assess their own home by answering Yes, No, or NA (not applicable). The document is based on the Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter DCF 202.08, Standards for Family Child Care and In-Home Child Care.
  

• The information requested on the checklists includes, but is not limited to:
  

• • Health

  • Emergencies

  • Supervision

  • Activities

  • Equipment and furnishings

  • Meals/snacks and rest

  • Interactions with children

  • Transportation

  • Provider-parent communication

  • Confidentiality
    

• Agencies may require the applicant complete and submit the form with the application materials, prior to the initial (and recertification / relocation) site visit or the checklist may be collected at the time of the initial (or recertification / relocation) site visit.
  

• The document shall be used by the certification worker during the home visit to verify and document compliance.

Keep in mind, although the checklist is updated often, it may not always reflect changes in statutory requirements or administrative rules prior to or immediately after effective dates. Certification workers must keep abreast of changes in law and administrative rule when monitoring certified child care operators.

Note: Standards for in-home providers are selective. The in-home certification applicant / operator does not have to answer or comply with the starred / asterisked (*) questions on the Standards and Checklist form if the care is provided in the child's home. The * will appear before the rule language. Example:

Effective 11/19/16 CCDF requires annual unannounced inspections of regulated child care programs to monitor for specific health and safety standards. Health and safety standards required to be monitored annually unannounced are noted with an asterisk * in front of the rule number. Example:

This page last updated 06/2024.