Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
Complaint investigations often take place in an emotionally charged environment. Every complaint is an accusation of wrong doing that potentially places the reputation of the certified operator / program in some amount of jeopardy and that potentially sets the stage for adverse certification action and administrative hearings and / or lawsuits. The more serious the complaint, the higher the stakes become for the operator. It is not surprising, then, that even the best operators may be tense. The certification worker should keep in mind that hostility on the part of the operator or others is not an inappropriate response during a complaint investigation. The certification worker must suspend judgment and not assume guilt when faced with a defensive, angry reaction. The best response is to:
Not take the anger personally.
Remain calm and businesslike, yet empathetic. The certification worker may acknowledge how the person feels while remaining neutral about the validity of the reasons for those feelings. For example, “I realize that this is upsetting to you. I realize you are angry. I fully appreciate how worried you are about this situation.”
Stress common goals. For example, “We both want to make sure that the children are well cared for.”
Allow a reasonable amount of venting to occur. However, if the anger is so intense that the interview is unproductive, or if the certification worker has concerns for safety, it is always best to suspend the interview and allow a cooling off period before trying again.
State the consequences of non-cooperation if someone is trying to thwart the investigation. This should be done in a neutral, non-threatening way.
Emphasize the benefit of concluding the investigation as soon as possible.
This page last updated 07/29/2015.