Consumer Law at Your Fingertips

Health & Personal Care

Child Daycare & Residential Care

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) regulates child day care and child residential care providers including:

• Child placing agencies are licensed to place children in foster homes, group homes and adoptive placements. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 54.

• Day camps are seasonal programs for 9 or more children. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 55.

• Family childcare centers provide childcare for 4-8 children. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 45.

• Group childcare centers provide childcare for 9 or more children. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 46.

• Group foster homes provide 24-hour care for 5-8 children. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 57.

• Residential care centers for children and youth provide treatment and custodial services for children, youth and young adults. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 52.

• Shelter care facilities provide short-term, non-secure residential care and physical custody of children pending court action. See Wisconsin Statutes chapter 48 and Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter HFS 59.