Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
Definitions of frequently used terms used in the certification policy modules and as specified in DCF 202 and/or s.48.686, Wis. Stats.
Throughout this document, the more commonly used terms, “operator” or “program” will be used to denote the county / tribe regulated child care providers. These include certified family child care homes and certified in-home child care. Definitions of other terms used in this document and as specified in DCF 202 and / or s.48.686, Wis. Stats., include:
(1) In this section:
(ag) “Caregiver" means any of the following:
1. An employee or contractor of a child care program who is involved in the care or supervision of clients.
1m. A person who has direct contact and unsupervised access to clients of a child care program.
2. A person who has, or is seeking, a license, certification, or contract to operate a child care program
Child Care Provider: DCF 202.02(3k)
“Child care provider” or “provider” means a certified child care operator or an employee or volunteer of the child care operator who is involved in the care and supervision of children on behalf of the operator and who meets the requirements specified in s. DCF 202.08(1). “Provider” includes a substitute if there is no regularly scheduled provider working other than the substitute.
“Certified child care home” or “home” means the residence in which a certified child care operator provides care of children and which meets the standards under s. DCF 202.08.
Certified Child Care Operator: DCF 202.02(3)
“Certified child care operator” or “operator” means an individual that has legal and financial responsibility for the operation of a child care program and for meeting the requirements under this DCF 202. “Certified child care operator,” “child care operator,” or “operator” includes a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, non–incorporated association, or cooperative that is certified on September 30, 2019, until the operator’s current 2-year certification period ends under s. DCF 202.04 (5).
“Certified family child care operator” means a certified child care operator who provides care in a private residential property that is not the home of the child in care.
“Certified in−home child care operator” means a certified child care operator who provides care in the child’s home for a family that is eligible for in-home care through the child care subsidy program under s. DCF 201.039 (5).
Department: DCF 202.02(5)
“Department” means the Wisconsin department of children and families.
“Emergency” means unforeseen circumstances that require immediate attention.
Emergency Back-Up Provider: DCF 202.02(5m)
“Emergency back-up provider” means a designated adult who is available to assist in the event an emergency occurs that requires a provider to leave the premises occasionally for a short period of time.
“Employee” means any individual who works for a certified child care operator to provide care and supervision of children in care, including a substitute, helper, or assistant.
“In care” means a child care provider is responsible for the supervision, safety and developmental needs of a child or children, on or off the premises, including during transportation provided by the certified child care operator. For the purposes of this paragraph, “children” includes children under 7 years of age who reside in the certified child care home.
“Operator’s own children” means a certified family child care operator’s natural, adopted, step, and foster children, and any children who reside in the operator’s home.
Regulated:
As defined in the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Assistance Manual Chapter 1 “regulated child care” means child care either certified by the county/tribal agency, licensed by the state or operated by a public school board. Regulated for the purpose of receiving Wisconsin Shares payment excludes child care programs operated by private school boards because they cannot receive Wisconsin Shares payments.
“Related to the provider” means the provider’s natural or adopted children, foster children, stepchildren, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, first cousins, nephews, nieces, uncles and aunts. This definition must be carefully considered in order for the operator and certification worker to determine compliance with group size rules. For the purpose of determining group size, the relationship is either by blood or law.
“Related to the provider” means the provider’s natural or adopted children, foster children, stepchildren, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, first cousins, nephews, nieces, uncles and aunts.
“Relative” means a parent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half-sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, first cousin, 2nd cousin, nephew, niece, uncle, aunt, step-uncle, step-aunt, or any person of a preceding generation as denoted by the prefix of grand, great, or great-great, whether by blood, marriage, or legal adoption, or the spouse of any person named in this subsection, even if the marriage is terminated by death or divorce. For purposes of the application of s. 48.028 and the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC 1901 to 1963, “relative” includes an extended family member, as defined in s. 48.028 (2) (am), whether by blood, marriage, or adoption, including adoption under tribal law or custom.
Sanction: An action taken by the certification agency/certification worker as a means of enforcement for provider/operator compliance with relevant statutes and administrative rules. DCF 202.06 refers to denials, suspension, revocation or refusal to renew certification, while DCF 202.065 refers to sanctions as non-compliance/plan of correction, forbidding enrollment of any new children, warning letters and suspensions. Denials, revocations, suspensions and warning letters are referred to in WISCCRS as “enforcements.” An enforcement, like a sanction, works to ensure observance/compliance with rules and statutes. Certification workers may find the terms ‘sanction’ and “enforcement’ used synonymously throughout this module and/or the WISCCRS User Guide.
Suspension: DCF 202.02(20w)
“Substitute” means a provider who replaces the certified child care operator or other provider on an infrequent, a prearranged or planned basis.
Supervision: DCF 202.02(20r)
“Supervision” means guidance of the behavior and activities of children for their health, safety, and well-being by a provider who is within sight or sound of the children, except as specified in s. DCF 202.08 (2)(e)6. and 7. which requires the provider to be outdoors with children and provide sight and sound supervision when there is a wading pool containing water present or the outdoor play space does not have a permanent enclosure.
Suspension: DCF 202.02(20w)
“Suspension” means a temporary interruption in the regulatory approval during which the certified child care operator may not be paid by the child care subsidy program.
“Volunteer” means a person who is not paid, but who agrees to give time, with or without reimbursement for expenses, to transport children in care or to work in a certified child care home.
For additional clarification regarding definitions used in DCF 202 or s.48.686, Wis. Stats., please see links below:
This page last updated 01/2020