Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Children and Families › DCF 201-252 - Early Care and Education › Chapter DCF 202 - Child Care Certification › Section DCF 202.02 - Definitions

Current through June 24, 2024
In this chapter:
(1) " Background check request form" means a
				form prescribed by the department on which a person completes required
				information for the child care background check under s.
				48.686,
				Stats., and ch. DCF 13.
Note:
Form DCF-F-5296,
Background Check
				  Request
, is available on the department's website at
https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/ccformspubs
.
(1s) "Certification agency" means the
				department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more; a county
				department of social services established under s.
				46.22,
				Stats.; a county department of human services established under s.
				46.23,
				Stats.; a tribal agency; or any agency that contracts with any of those
				entities to certify child care operators under s.
				48.651,
				Stats.
(2) "Certified child care
				home" or "home" means the residence in which a certified child care operator
				provides care of children and which meets the standards under s.
				DCF
				202.08.
(3) "Certified child care operator," " child
				care operator," or "operator" means an individual that has legal and financial
				responsibility for the operation of a child care program and for meeting the
				requirements under this chapter. "Certified child care operator," "child care
				operator," or "operator" includes a corporation, partnership, limited liability
				company, non-incorporated association, or cooperative that is certified on
				September 30, 2019, until the operator's current 2-year certification period
				ends under s.
				DCF
				202.04(5).
Note: Sub. (3) is amended eff. 10-1-21 by CR 19-089 to
				  read:
(3) "Certified child care operator," " child care
				  operator," or "operator" means an individual that has legal and financial
				  responsibility for the operation of a child care program and for meeting the
				  requirements under this chapter.
(3b) "Certified family child care operator"
				means a certified child care operator who provides care in a private
				residential property that is not the home of the child in care.
(3e) " Certified in-home child care operator"
				means a certified child care operator who provides care in the child's home for
				a family that is eligible for in-home care through the child care subsidy
				program under s.
				DCF
				201.039(5).
(3g) " Child care background check" means the
				requirements in s.
				48.686,
				Stats., and ch. DCF 13.
(3h) "Child
				care certification worker" means a person employed by a certification agency
				whose duties include determination of eligibility for child care
				certification.
(3k) "Child care
				provider" or "provider" means a certified child care operator or an employee or
				volunteer of the child care operator who is involved in the care and
				supervision of children on behalf of the operator and who meets the
				requirements specified in s.
				DCF
				202.08(1). "Provider" includes a
				substitute if there is no regularly scheduled provider working other than the
				substitute.
(3L) " Child care
				subsidy program" means the program under which the department issues payments
				to assist parents who are eligible under s.
				49.155(1m),
				Stats., with child care expenses.
(3m) "Complaint" means an alleged violation
				of this chapter, ch. DCF 13, or s.
				48.686,
				Stats.
(4) " County department"
				means a county department of social services under s.
				46.22,
				Stats., or a county department of human services under s.
				46.23,
				Stats.
(5) "Department" means the
				Wisconsin department of children and families.
(5c) " Early childhood education" means the
				teaching of children who are 8 years of age or less.
(5g) "Emergency" means unforeseen
				circumstances that require immediate attention.
(5m) " Emergency back-up provider" means a
				designated adult who is available to assist in the event an emergency occurs
				that requires a provider to leave the premises occasionally for a short period
				of time.
(5r) "Employee" means any
				individual who works for a certified child care operator to provide care and
				supervision of children in care, including a substitute, helper, or
				assistant.
(6) "Family child care
				center" means a child care center licensed under s.
				48.65,
				Stats., and ch. DCF 250.
(7) "
				Field trip" means any experience a child has away from the premises while in
				the care of a provider, whether the child walks or is transported.
(7m) " Fit and qualified" means displaying
				the capacity to successfully nurture and care for children and may include
				consideration of any of the following:
(a)
				Results of the child care background check.
(b) Abuse of alcohol or drugs.
(c) A history of criminal, civil or other
				offenses, or administrative rule violations that are related to the care of
				children or clients or demonstrate an inability to manage the activities of a
				child care program.
(d) Exercise of
				unsound judgment.
(e) Compliance
				with the standards under this chapter.