Must be at least 18 years old and have high school education or equivalent or certificate, credentials, or diploma from a post-secondary early childhood training program approved by the department. Must have 120 days half-time or 80 days full-time experience in direct care; or certification by the Wisconsin department of public instruction as a nursery school teacher or as an exceptional education needs teacher (or be able to show evidence of meeting the qualifications for certification); and 2 years documented credit in an institution of higher education with at least 3 credits equivalent to early childhood education or satisfactory completion of 80 hours of department-approved training in early childhood education, CDA credentials, or satisfactory completion of another department-approved competency program.

A WORD ON WISCONSIN CHILD CARE REGULATIONS
Anyone providing care and supervision for 4 or more children under age 7 years for less than 24 hours a day must be licensed by the Department. Exceptions to this rule are:
- A parent, grandparent, greatgrandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, first cousin, nephew, niece, uncle, or aunt of a child, whether by blood, marriage, or legal adoption, who provides care and supervision for the child.
- Public and parochial schools.
- Care provided in the home of the child’s parent for less than 24 hours per day.
- Counties, cities, towns, school districts and libraries that provide programs for children primarily intended for social or recreational purposes.
- A program that operates not more than 4 hours per week.
- Group lessons to develop a talent or skill such as dance or music, social group meetings and activities, group athletics.
- A program where the parents are on the premises and are engaged in shopping, recreation or other non-work activities.
- Seasonal programs of ten days or less duration in any 3-month period, including day camps, vacation bible school and holiday child care programs.
- Emergency situations.
- Care and supervision for no more than 3 hours a day while the parent is employed on the premises.
- A program provided where the child of a recipient of temporary assistance to needy families, or Wisconsin works, is involved in orientation, enrollment or initial assessment or where parents are provided training or counseling.

Child Abuse Reporting Hotline
To report suspected child abuse in Wisconsin, call the county Department of Social or Human Services or the local sheriff or police department.

For national child abuse information, call the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (staffed 24 hours daily with professional crisis counselors): 1-800-4-A-CHILD or 1-800-2-A-CHILD (T.D.D)