Current through August 26, 2024
(1) APPLICABILITY,
QUALIFICATIONS AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
(a)
Family child care centers providing care and supervision to infants and
toddlers shall comply with the additional requirements of this
section.
(c)
General
requirements.
1. A provider shall
use information obtained on a department-provided form for children under 2
years of age to individualize the program of care for each child. The
information shall be at the center before the child is left for care on the
child's first day of attendance. A provider and the child's parents shall
periodically discuss the child's development and routines.
Note: The department's form, DCF-F-CFS0061-E,
Intake for Child Under 2 Years - Child Care Centers, is used
to record information for individualizing the program of care for each child.
Information on how to obtain the form is available on the department's website,
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov, or from
any regional licensing office in Appendix A. Wisconsin has an information and
referral service for persons with questions or concerns about a child's
development called Well Badger Resource Center that is available to the public
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When a call is placed to Well Badger Resource
Center at 1-800-642-7837, the caller will learn about early intervention
services as well as other related services in the area. When a provider or
parent has concerns about a child's growth or development a referral to a
Birth-to-Three agency should be considered to determine if the child is
eligible for special services. With parental consent and consultation, it is
recommended that centers who care for children who have an Individualized
Family Service Plan (IFSP) coordinate programming activities with the local
Birth-to-Three agency.
2.
Cribs and playpens shall contain a tight-fitting mattress and a mattress
covering that fits snugly over the mattress.
3. Sheets or blankets used to cover a child
one year of age or older shall be kept away from the child's mouth and nose,
and if sleeping in a crib or playpen shall be tucked tightly under the
mattress.
4. A child under one year
of age may not sleep in a crib or playpen that contains soft or loose
materials, such as sheepskins, pillows, blankets, flat sheets, bumper pads,
bibs, pacifiers with attached soft objects, or stuffed animals. No blankets or
other items may be hung on the sides of a crib or playpen.
4g. An audio monitoring device shall be used
in any area or room where children under the age of one year are placed to
sleep.
4r. Waterbeds may not be
used by children under 2 years of age.
5. Safety gates shall be used at open
stairways when children are awake.
(2) DAILY PROGRAM.
(a) Child care providers shall respond
promptly to a crying child's needs.
(b) Each infant and toddler shall be allowed
to form and follow his or her own patterns of sleeping and waking.
(c) Each child under one year of age shall be
placed to sleep on his or her back in a crib unless otherwise specified in
writing by the child's physician. The child shall be allowed to assume the
position most comfortable to him or her when able to roll over
unassisted.
(d) Emphasis in
activities shall be given to play as a learning and growth
experience.
(e) Throughout the day,
each infant and toddler shall receive physical contact and attention such as
being held, rocked, talked to, sung to and taken on walks inside and outside
the center.
(f) Routines related to
activities such as taking a nap, eating, diapering and toileting shall be used
as occasions for language development and other learning experiences.
(g) When a non-mobile child is awake, a
provider shall change the child's body position and location in the room
periodically. Non-mobile awake children shall be placed on their stomach
occasionally throughout the day.
(h) Each non-walking child who can creep or
crawl shall be given opportunities each day to move freely in a safe, clean,
open, warm and uncluttered area.
(i) A provider shall encourage infants and
toddlers to play with a wide variety of safe toys and objects.
(3) FEEDING. A provider shall do
all of the following:
(a) Feed each infant and
toddler on the child's own feeding schedule.
(b) Ensure that food, breastmilk, and formula
brought from home are labeled with the child's name, dated, and refrigerated,
if required.
(bm) Ensure each infant
and toddler is correctly fed the food, breastmilk, or formula labeled with the
infant's or toddler's name.
(c)
Ensure that the food, breastmilk, or formula offered to infants and toddlers is
consistent with the requirements of the U.S. department of agriculture child
and adult care food program.
Note: Information on the meal program
requirements of the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program may be found on the
website, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/meals-and-snacks.
(d) Provide formula or breast milk
to all children under 12 months of age.
(e) Provide another type of milk or milk
substitute only on the written direction of the child's physician.
(f) Discard leftover milk or formula within 2
hours after each feeding and rinse bottles after use.
(g) Refrain from heating breast milk or
formula in a microwave oven.
(h)
Offer drinking water to infants over 6 months of age and toddlers several times
daily.
(i) Hold a child unable to
hold a bottle whenever a bottle is given. Bottles may not be propped.
(j) Hold or place a child too young to sit in
a highchair or feeding table in an infant seat during feeding. Wide-based
highchairs with safety straps or feeding tables with safety straps shall be
provided for children who are not developmentally able to sit at tables and
chairs.
(k) Ensure that eating
utensils and cups are scaled to the size and developmental level of the
children.
(l) Infant bottles and
nipples may not be reused without first being cleaned and
sanitized.
(4) DIAPERING
AND TOILETING. A provider shall do all of the following:
(a) Change wet or soiled diapers and clothing
promptly.
(b) Change the child on
an easily cleanable surface that is cleaned with soap and water and a
disinfectant solution after each use. The disinfectant solution used shall be
one that is registered with the U.S. environmental protection agency as a
disinfectant and has instructions for use as a disinfectant on the label. The
disinfectant shall be used according to label instructions.
(c) If the diapering surface is above floor
level, use a strap, restraint, or other structural barrier to prevent falling.
A child may not be left unattended on the diapering surface.
(d) Place soiled cloth diapers in a plastic
bag labeled with the name of the child and send them home daily.
(e) Place soiled disposable diapers in a
plastic-lined, covered container and dispose of them daily.
(g) Apply lotions, powders or salves to the
child during diapering only at the specific direction of a parent or the
child's physician.
(h) Wash the
child during diapering with a disposable towel used only once.
