Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Background Check Procedures
Beginning October 1, 2018, any prospective employees (including contracted employees/services and practicum students) must have completed a fingerprint background check and received preliminary eligibility from DCF prior to providing services to, or working in a child care center.
Individuals who are providing services to a child care center under an express or implied contract or subcontract are considered employees of the child care center.
In order for a contracted service company or institution of higher education to submit a background check request, the company/institution must have a DCF-issued provider number. The DCF-issued provider number is needed in order to gain access to the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP) and submit requests for background checks.
These companies and institutions complete and submit online a Program Provider Number Request form. Once DCF issues the provider number, the company or institution then receives an email with their provider number and instructions on how to request access to the CCPP.
After completion and submission of the Child Care Provider Portal Request Form, the company or institution receives an email confirming that CCPP access has been granted. The company or institution is then able to add individuals to their CCPP profile and complete the Background Check Request form for each individual; the information provided via the Background Check Request form. Individuals can also request background checks in the iChildCare Portal and then the company or institution can attach them in the Child Care Provider Portal.
Note: Some higher education entities may already have a provider number because they operate a licensed child care program. These institutions will use the same provider number, but will need a new, different location number to request background checks for practicum students placed at other child care centers. In these cases, the institution completes and submits a Program Provider Number Request form to obtain a new location number. Higher education institutions should not use the licensed child care program's CCPP information to submit background check requests for practicum students.
While it is the child care provider’s responsibility to ensure that their employees, including contracted services and practicum students, have the necessary background checks completed, documentation of an eligibility determination makes these individuals more marketable to centers by having this requirement completed prior to contracting with or placement in the center.
Checklists that outline the steps to request a background check for contracted services and higher education institutions are located on the Higher Education Background Checks and Contracting Services Background Checks web pages under the Training and Information menu buttons.
This page last updated 10/2019.