Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Licensing Procedure Manual
When a serious situation will necessitate an immediate closure of a center so that an investigation can be conducted, such as a criminal investigation or a child abuse or neglect investigation, or as otherwise necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare, the licensing specialist must consult with the licensing manager/licensing supervisor as to whether the licensee should be permitted to temporarily close in lieu of issuing a summary suspension. Note that if the licensing specialist reports directly to a licensing supervisor (as is the case in the BECR Southeastern and Southern Regional Offices), the licensing specialist will present the information to the licensing supervisor who will then consult with the licensing manager to determine next steps.
After expeditiously gathering information regarding the situation, the licensing specialist consults with the licensing manager/licensing supervisor to determine the best course of action to assure the safety of children and/or protect the public health, safety, or welfare. The licensing specialist and the licensing manager/licensing supervisor must discuss the details of the allegations and the ramifications of arranging a temporary closure agreement rather than issuing a summary suspension. If the licensing manager/licensing supervisor is unavailable for this consultation, the specialist reports the situation to another regional licensing manager and receives direction on how to proceed. The licensing manager must alert the BECR director and/or consult with the OLC attorney when assessing the facts of the situation. The BECR director or a licensing manager acting as the BECR director’s designee must prior authorize all temporary closures issued in lieu of summary suspension.
The Temporary Closure of Child Care Center - Pending Investigation agreement requires that no children will be in care until the investigation is concluded. Once the investigation is concluded, BECR will either initiate revocation of the license, or allow the center to reopen. If the licensee signs the Temporary Closure of Child Care Center Pending Investigation agreement, BECR does not issue a summary suspension. As a result, a determination on whether to allow the center to reopen or to proceed with revocation within 72 hours of the suspension is not necessary, though it would have been required with issuance of a summary suspension. Likewise there is no automatic summary suspension administrative hearing on the matter of whether the center may reopen during revocation proceedings.
3. Executing Immediate Closure through a Temporary Closure Agreement
3.1. Making the Decision to Permit a Temporary Closure
3.2. Meeting with the Licensee
3.3. Conditions in the Temporary Closure Agreement
3.4. Finalizing the Temporary Closure Agreement Pending Investigation
This page last updated 10/2020.