Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
Certified child care operators must report to the certification agency, no later than the agency’s next working day, incidents/events enumerated in DCF 202.08(1m)(b), including any death of a child in care or any incident/accident that occurs to a child in care that results in an injury that requires professional medical evaluation. Although the certification worker may use the Complaint/Incident module to document self-reports that require a follow-up action/investigation by the certification worker, the worker is required to document self-reports of injuries to children that require medical professional evaluation.
For purposes of determining whether an incident or accident must be reported by the child care operator, professional medical evaluation means an evaluation by a medical professional (including a dentist), regardless of the outcome of the evaluation. That is, the operator must report the incident or accident resulting in an injury requiring medical evaluation, even when the medical professional determines that further treatment, medication or follow up is not necessary.
Certified operators may notify the certification agency through verbal or written notification. Fax, e-mail, letter, phone, in person are acceptable ways of notifying the certification agency. An incident, accident or death report, when reported by the operator, is a self-report to alert the certification worker about an event in the certified program. Information gathered should include identifying information on the certified program, child and parent; incident date, time and location; witness names; a description of the incident, nature and extent of injury; if a toy was involved and if so, name and type of toy; activity the child was engaged in; how the parent was notified; and identifying medical information and treatment.
It is recommended, although not required, that certified operators complete and submit a written report to the certification agency. When submitting a written report, the certified operator may use the department’s form, Incident Report – Regulated Child Care Centers, or the operator’s own form to report incidents, accidents and deaths.
The certification worker will review the written report, if provided, or other information submitted by the operator and may need to conduct a follow-up investigation to determine whether certification violations have occurred, or a situation exists that has the potential to cause harm to a child.
The report of a death, accident or incident necessitates that the certification worker take appropriate follow-up action including:
Deciding on the appropriate investigative response, which may vary from no investigation at all, or only a desk review, to an extensive investigation;
Making a determination as to whether one or more violations was a factor in the accident, incident or death;
Making a determination on the subsequent regulatory action to take, ranging from none to citing one or more violations to revocation of the certification.
The purpose of a follow-up investigation into the reported event is to determine whether one or more violations may have been a factor in the incident, accident or death and, if so, what regulatory action should be taken.
Note: When entering the self-report and subsequent investigation the certification worker utilizes the same Narratives used in a complaint investigation. The alleged Statutory and Rule Violations Narrative is used to identify what the operator self-reported. The Methods Used to Conduct the Investigation, Description of the Investigative Findings and Conclusions, Recommendations and Actions are used in to identify the course of action the certification worker took in the investigation of the self-report and the findings. The Investigation Results would be “N/A Self Report”.
12.2 Screening the Incident, Accident, or Death Report
12.3 When Other Agencies are Involved in an Injury/Death Investigation
12.4 Determining Subsequent Action
This page last updated 01/2020.