Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure Manual
A license applicant for a group or family child care license initially works with a technical consultant from Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA) to prepare for licensure. Prior to submittal of a license application to BECR, the applicant and the SFTA technical consultant completes one of the following checklists to establish what is and is not in compliance with administrative rules:
For family child care centers, the Initial Licensing Checklist – Family Child Care Centers (DCF-F-CFS2241) is required;
For group child care centers, the Initial Licensing Checklist – Group Child Care Centers (DCF-F-CFS2242) is required;
Day camp applicants complete and submit the Licensing Checklist – Day Camps DCF 252 (DCF-F-CFS70) to establish compliance with day camp rules. Day camps work directly with BECR licensing staff during the initial application process to prepare for licensure.
Once the applicant submits a license application and all related materials, and the required background check eligibility determination have been made, the licensing specialist reviews the information to determine whether to proceed to licensure. If so, a licensing staff person enters this information into WISCCRS to document the licensee’s “fit date”. The licensing specialist then conducts one or more on-site initial licensing study visits.
The licensing specialist must make at least one on-site visit to a center prior to the issuance of a probationary license. At the licensing specialist’s initial visit, s/he reviews the licensee’s completed Initial Licensing Checklist that was submitted with the application and reviews the equipment and materials available at the center. In many cases, the licensing specialist completes at least two on-site visits during the application process in order to confirm that all applicable licensing rules that can be reviewed prior to issuance of a probationary license are met and to provide pre-licensing technical assistance. When all applicable rules are documented as met, the licensing specialist issues the probationary license.
3. Monitoring Activities Prior to the Probationary Period
3.1. Documenting Compliance Prior to Probationary Licensure
This page last updated 12/2018.