Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Background Check Procedures
Although all parts of the CBU file are subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law, CBU staff and certification workers should not share second source documents obtained during a background check investigation. Requestors should be referred to the original source to obtain the desired information, except that law enforcement and child protective services investigation reports may be shared with other governmental agency staff. Information equivalent to the DOJ response obtained from another state can be shared with anyone. Law enforcement investigation reports obtained from other states should be handled the same as if they were obtained from Wisconsin law enforcement agencies. In rare circumstances when it is necessary to provide second source records in response to an open record request, the assigned DCF OLC attorney must determine which information, if any, should be redacted prior to releasing the record.
Law enforcement, CPS investigations, or other records may be quoted in enforcement actions. However, any reference to minors must be redacted. If a license or certification is denied or revoked based on a CPS finding that involves a household member and the applicant, licensee or operator is unaware of the finding, the CPS information may not be disclosed to anyone other than the employee or household member. Instead, the applicant, licensee or operator should be informed that a background check record search has revealed that the employee or household member has a history that requires rehabilitation review approval before he or she can be an employee or household member in a licensed or certified facility. If requested, the applicant or licensee may be referred to the CBU to obtain information about the CPS finding.
This page last updated 10/2019.