Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure Manual
When a center will be reopening following a voluntary temporary closure, the licensee is asked to provide notice at least five working days prior to the anticipated reopening date. The licensing specialist must schedule an on-site monitoring visit to ensure minimum licensing requirements will be met when the center is reopened. The licensing specialist uses the initial licensing checklist to make such a determination and schedules the visit according to the following guidelines:
If the licensed center has been voluntarily closed for six months or more, an announced visit must be conducted prior to reopening the center. The visit is announced to ensure that the licensing specialist has access to review both the indoor and outdoor premises.
If the licensed center has been voluntarily closed for less than six months, an on-site monitoring visit should be made as soon as possible after the center has been reopened. It does not have to occur prior to the reopening of the center and can be unannounced.
Generally, if the licensing specialist determines that the provider is not meeting minimum licensing requirements at or upon reopening, the licensing specialist must assess whether the licensee should be given the opportunity to correct the violations immediately or take some other action, based on the finding that the licensee is not meeting minimum licensing standards. The licensing specialist must consult with the licensing manager/licensing supervisor to make this determination. If it is determined that license revocation is warranted, whether to allow the licensee to surrender the license in lieu of revocation should be considered.
If the licensing specialist is unable to gain access to the premises to conduct an on-site monitoring visit, s/he should consult with the licensing manager/licensing supervisor as to whether to impose an enforcement action, including possible revocation.
This page last updated 10/2020.