Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Children and Families
DCF 201-252 - Early Care and Education
Chapter DCF 251 - Group Child Care Centers And Child Care Programs Established Or Contracted For By School Boards
Section DCF 251.09 - Additional requirements for infant and toddler care
Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง DCF 251.09
Current through August 26, 2024
(1) APPLICABILITY AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Group child care
centers providing care and supervision to infants and toddlers shall comply
with the additional requirements of this section.
(am) Prior to admission, the licensee shall
obtain written information from a child's parent or guardian to individualize
the program of care for the child. Child care workers shall use the information
obtained from parents to provide care to the child. Information shall include
all of the following:
1. Schedule of meals and
feeding.
2. Types of food
introduced and timetable for new foods.
3. Toileting and diapering
procedures.
4. Sleep and nap
schedule.
5. The child's way of
communicating and being comforted.
6. Developmental and health history.
Note: The licensee may use the department's form, Intake for Child Under 2 Years - Child Care Centers, or the licensee's own form to record information for individualizing the program of care for each child. Information on how to obtain the department's form is available on the department's website, http://dcf.wisconsin.gov, or from any regional licensing office in Appendix A.
(b) Admission information for an infant or
toddler shall be on file in the room or area to which the child is assigned and
shall be known to the child care worker.
(c) Child care workers shall document changes
in a child's development and routines every 3 months based on discussion with
the parent.
(d) Each infant and
toddler shall be cared for by a regularly assigned child care worker in a
self-contained room or area.
(e)
The regularly assigned child care teacher and assistant child care teacher for
each group of infants and toddlers shall have a minimum of 10 hours of training
in infant and toddler care approved by the department within 6 months after
assuming the position. If the training is not part of the required preservice
entry-level training under s. DCF 251.05 (3) (f) or (g) it shall be obtained
through continuing education.
(f)
Infants and toddlers are restricted to first floors and ground floors having
direct grade-level exits unless the building is in compliance with all
applicable building codes that permit children to be cared for on other levels.
The building inspection report on file with the licensing office shall indicate
where care may be provided for children under 30 months of age.
(g) Safety gates shall be provided at open
stairways.
(h) For centers licensed
on or after January 1, 2009, the space occupied by cribs shall be deducted in
determining the 35 square feet space requirement under s. DCF 251.06 (7) (a)
for each child.
(i) The number of
children under one year of age admitted at any one time may not exceed the
number of cribs and playpens.
(j)
Cribs and playpens shall contain a tight-fitting mattress and a mattress
covering that fits snugly over the mattress.
(k) 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.
(l) 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 and
other items may be hung on the sides of the crib or playpen.
(m) An audio monitoring device shall be used
in any area or room where children under one year of age are placed to
sleep.
(n) Waterbeds may not be
used by children under 2 years of age.
(2) DAILY PROGRAM. In addition to the requirements under s. DCF 251.07, all of the following apply to the care of infants and toddlers:
(a) Child care workers
shall respond promptly to a crying child's needs.
(b) Each infant and each toddler shall be
allowed to form and follow his or her own pattern of sleeping and
waking.
(bm) 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.
(c) Emphasis in
activities shall be given to play as a learning and growth
experience.
(d) Throughout the day
each infant and each 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.
(e) Routines relating
to activities such as taking a nap, eating, diapering and toileting shall be
used as occasions for language development and other learning
experiences.
(f) When a non-mobile
child is awake, the child care worker shall change the child's body position
and location in the room periodically. Non-mobile children who are awake shall
be placed on their stomach occasionally throughout the day.
(g) The non-walking child who can creep or
crawl shall be given opportunities during each day to move freely by creeping
and crawling in a safe, clean, open, warm and uncluttered area.
(h) Child care workers shall encourage
infants and toddlers to play with a wide variety of safe toys and
objects.
(j) When infants and
toddlers are taken outdoors for a walk, equipment, such as strollers or wagons,
shall be provided.
(k) An
adult-size rocking chair or other adult-size chair shall be provided for each
child care worker.
(3) FEEDING.
(a) Child care workers shall do all
of the following:
1. Feed each infant and each
toddler on the child's own feeding schedule.
2. Ensure that food, breast milk, and formula
brought from home are labeled with the child's name and the date and are
refrigerated, if required.
2m.
Ensure each infant and toddler is correctly fed the food, breastmilk, or
formula labeled with the infant's or toddler's name.
3. Ensure that food, breast milk, and 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 Child and Adult Care Food Program may be found on the following website, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/meals-and-snacks.
7. Discard leftover milk or
formula within 2 hours after each feeding and rinse bottles after
use.
8. Offer drinking water to
infants and toddlers, as appropriate, several times daily.
9. Hold a child who is unable to hold a
bottle whenever a bottle is given. Bottles may not be propped.
10. Cover, date and refrigerate commercial
baby food containers which are opened and foods prepared in the center which
are stored. If not used within 36 hours, leftover food shall be
discarded.
11. Hold or place a
child too young to sit in a high chair in an infant seat during feeding.
Wide-based high chairs, hook-on chairs or infant seats with safety straps shall
be provided for children who are not developmentally able to sit at tables and
chairs.
12. Encourage children to
experiment with self-feeding with their hands and spoons. Eating utensils and
cups shall be scaled to the size and developmental level of the
children.
13. Offer a variety of
nourishing foods to each child according to the child's developmental level and
the parent's feeding instructions.
14. Refrain from feeding a child directly
from commercial food containers.
15. Refrain from heating breast milk or
formula in a microwave oven.
(b) Procedures for heating infant formula,
milk, and food shall be posted, and child care workers shall follow the posted
procedures.
(c) Infant bottles and
nipples may not be reused without first being cleaned and sanitized.
(4) DIAPERING AND TOILETING.
(a) Child care workers shall do all of the
following:
1. Plan toilet training in
cooperation with the parent so that a child's toilet routine is consistent
between the center and the child's home, except that no routine attempts may be
made to toilet train a child under 18 months of age.
2. Change wet or soiled diapers
promptly.
3. Change each child on
an easily cleanable surface that is cleaned with soap and water and a
disinfectant solution after each use. The disinfectant solution shall be
registered with the U.S. environmental protection agency as a disinfectant and
have instructions for use as a disinfectant on the label. The solution shall be
prepared and applied as indicated on the label.
4. If the diapering surface is above floor
level, provide a barrier or restraint to prevent falling. A child may not be
left unattended on the diapering surface.
5. Place disposable soiled diapers and
gloves, if used, in a plastic-lined, hands-free, covered container
immediately.
6. Place
parent-supplied soiled cloth diapers in labeled plastic bags which are kept
separate from other clothing.
7.
Place center-supplied soiled cloth diapers in a plastic-lined, covered
container for washing by a commercial diaper service.
8. Remove soiled diapers from containers as
needed but at least daily for washing or disposal. Containers shall be washed
and disinfected daily.
10. Apply
lotions, powders or salves to a child during diapering only at the specific
written direction of the child's parent or the child's physician. The
directions on use shall be posted in the diaper changing area. Recording the
use of lotions, powders or salves during diapering in the medical log book is
not required.
11. Wash the child's
diaper area before each diapering with a disposable or fabric towel used only
once.
(b) Each
self-contained classroom or area serving infants or toddlers who are diapered
shall have a sink with hot and cold running water which is not used for food
preparation or dishwashing within the room or area.
(c) There shall be a solid barrier between
the diapering area and any food preparation area.
(d) There shall be a supply of diapers
sufficient to meet the needs of the children using diapers at the
center.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wisconsin may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
