Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure 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 center and its personnel in some amount of jeopardy and that potentially sets the stage for adverse licensing action and administrative hearings and/or lawsuits. The more serious the complaint, the higher the stakes become for the center. It is not surprising, then, that even the best providers may be tense. The licensing specialist must keep in mind that hostility on the part of the licensee or others is not an inappropriate response during a complaint investigation. The licensing specialist must suspend judgement 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 licensing specialist 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 state, “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 licensing specialist 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 01/2017.