Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Background Check Procedures
In October of 2018, Wisconsin began implementation of new federal fingerprint requirements established in the re-authorization of the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). A fingerprint background check is required at application and every five years thereafter for:
Applicants for certification/certified operators
Applicants for licensure/licensees
All caregiver employees and contractors of regulated child care programs
Non-caregiver employees and contractors who have unrestricted access to the premise and opportunities for interactions with children in care
Assistants and volunteers counted in the staff-to-child ratio
Volunteers in certified child care who have unsupervised access to children in care
Adult household members in a certified or licensed facility
Minor household members ages 10-17 if the Background Check Request form discloses a concern that requires a background check
Students placed at the child care center for their practicum
Extended-stay visitors who live on the child care premises more than 14 days
More information about completing fingerprint checks is provided in Section 4.8.
This page last updated 04/2021.