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Day Care
Day care has become an important growth industry in the metropolitan Milwaukee area due
to the number of dual-income and single-parent households. There are many multi-site day
care centers, as well as independent services operated in homes, churches and other
facilities. In addition, some employers have on-site day care facilities or provide for
day care as a portion of their benefit plans.
The cost of day care varies widely depending on the age of the child and facility, but
a common rate is $2 to $3 per hour per child.
Because of the important role day care will provide in your child’s life, great
care should be taken to ensure that you find a facility that is best-suited for his or her
needs.
State law requires licensing for child care providers who care for four or more
children under 7 years of age, except relatives or babysitters who come into your home.
State licensing should be viewed only as an indication that a day care facility has met
the prescribed set of minimum standards set by the state. There is no substitution for an
on-site inspection of the day care center. It is also a good idea to talk to parents of
children enrolled at the center, of possible.
Wisconsin recognizes two types of child care:
- Family care, which provides care for four to eight children; and
- Group care, which provides day care for more than nine children.
Group day care centers must meet specific child-to-staff ratios, depending on the age
of the children. A facility caring for children under 2 years of age, for instance, can
have no more than four children per staff member and is limited to a total of eight
children per group. If all of the children are six years or older, however, the
child-to-staff ratio can be 18:1.
Family, or home-based, day care facilities can care for no more than eight children
under age 7, including the caretaker’s children. However, this maximum number changes
if there are young children at the facility.
For instance, a family facility can care for no more than seven children if there is
more than one child under age 2, and five children if there are more than two children
under age 2. In addition, if there are four children under the age of 4, the facility
cannot accept any more children.
State Regulations
The state of Wisconsin has two different sets of regulations that apply to day care
facilities:
- HSS-46 covers licensing rules for group day care centers.
- HSS-45 covers licensing rules for family day care centers.
For more information on the state regulations governing day care centers or to obtain a
copy of HSS-45 or HSS-46, you should contact the regional office of the Department of
Health & Family Services.
SOUTHEASTERN REGION: (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha
counties); 141 NW Barstow St., Room 209, Waukesha, WI 53188; Telephone: 521-5100.
Daycare Information
There are literally hundreds of day care centers throughout the metropolitan area
including home-based facilities, church-based facilities and private enterprises that may
have one or more locations. For a complete listing of licensed day care providers near
your new home, call the following numbers:
- Milwaukee County: (414) 562-2676
- Ozaukee County: (414) 562-2676
- Racine County: (414) 884-9890
- Washington County: (414) 562-2676
- Waukesha County: (414) 562-2676
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