Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure Manual
When circumstances necessitate immediate closure of a facility, rather than initiating a summary suspension, BECR may secure closure of a facility for the same circumstances by permitting the licensee to temporarily close until the investigation is concluded or the situation is remediated. The temporary closure agreement is not an enforcement action subject to appeal as provided in Wis. Stat. §§ 48.72 or 227.51(3), and Wis. Admin. Code §§ DCF 250.11(10)(a), DCF 251.11(9)(a), and DCF 252.05(6)(a) (whichever code provision applies). Rather, it is a voluntary agreement drawn up by BECR and signed by the licensee to temporarily close operations for the duration of the investigation or other remediation, assuring that no children will be in care during the interim. This is accomplished by having the licensee sign the Temporary Closure of Child Care Center Pending Investigation. Without such an agreement, or in violation of the agreement, a summary suspension (or a permanent closure agreement with the licensee in lieu of summary suspension) would be initiated.
The temporary closure agreement establishes a contractual arrangement between BECR and the licensee that includes BECR-imposed terms and conditions for the closure, for the time period while the investigation is being conducted. Licensees should not be coerced to sign the temporary closure agreement but must understand that without voluntarily signing the agreement, BECR will issue a Notice of Summary Suspension.
The temporary closure agreement is signed by the licensing specialist and the licensee, but is not posted at the center.
This page last updated 10/2019.