Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure Manual
A complaint is legally defined as an allegation of a violation of Chapter 48, Wis. Stat., and/or the pertinent administrative code. The authority to receive complaints and carry out complaint investigations is provided under Wis. Stat. § 48.74 and Wis. Admin. Code §§ DCF 250.12(1), 251.12(1) and 252.06(1). BECR has authority to investigate unlicensed facilities when the complaint allegation is that the facility is required to be licensed in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 48.65(1) because of the number of children in care and is not licensed. (A facility operating without a license in violation of Wis. Stat. § 48.65(1) will henceforth be referred to as operating illegally.) BECR does not investigate care issues, such as lack of supervision, etc., in unlicensed facilities. BECR investigates unlicensed complaints only when the address of the facility is provided by the complainant or the address is otherwise identified; for example, the red house next to the Burger King on First St.
This page last updated 10/2018.