Persons wishing to become certified day care providers can contact the Wood County Child Care Certifier at 715-421-8669.

Certified day care is required in situations where a person provides care and supervision:

• For 16 hours or less per day AND
• For no more than three (3) non-related children under the age of seven (7) AND
• To a maximum group size of 6, including the provider’s own/related children under age 7”
  • The maximum group size for certified family child care shall not exceed six (6). However, if three (3) of the children (provider’s children and/or non-related children) are under the age of two (2), the total number of children in care may not exceed five (5). If four (4) of the children are under the age of two (2), the total number of children in care may not exceed four (4).

Certified day care providers have different rules than licensed day care providers; please note that certification does not equal licensing. There is a $25.00 certification fee, plus additional fees for each set of backgrounds checks.

In order to be certified, required background checks are completed for all household members 10 years of age and older. Providers must also show that they are free of tuberculosis and have completed the necessary educational trainings:

• Introduction to the Child Care Profession (Module A)
• Fundamentals of Family Child Care
• Infant/Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
  • CPR training must result in a certificate of completion. If the certificate of completion does not have a date specifying the length of time for which it is valid, the CPR training must be renewed every year.
• Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) or Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Mandated Reporter or Child Abuse and Neglect Training

New applicants meeting all preservice training requirements may be granted Regular Certification. New applicants not yet meeting preservice training requirements may be granted Provisional certification with the last 4 trainings completed beforehand. Then the first two trainings must be complete within three (3) months of certification.

A home visit must be completed before an applicant can become certified. At the home visit, the applicant will need the following in addition to the education certificates/transcripts:

• Test results to show proof of applicant being free of tuberculosis
• A well water test report--if the applicant utilizes well water
• Verification of rabies vaccination of all pets in the home
• A working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector must be located on each floor of the home

Benefits of Child Care Certification:

• Provider is able to care for children whose parents receive Wisconsin Shares subsidies from the State of Wisconsin
• Provider may participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program to receive reimbursements
• Provider may get parent referrals from Child Care Resource and Referral Agency
• Families find you through childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov
• Utilize Childcaring - Central WI Early Education Resources for additional resources

For more information, including links to all applicable state laws, please see the Department of Children and Families Child Care Certification website.