YWCA Discovery Center

Violations by category

• Cleanliness & sanitation 5
• Illness & medication 2
• Supervision & ratios 2
• Discipline & child guidance 7
• Staff background & training 6
• Records & paperwork 1
• Other 2

Year by year

Enforcement actions

• Sep 9, 2026 — Orders Letter

  251.055(1)(a) (Supervision Of Children ) on 8/14/2026 : Each child was not supervised by a child care worker within sight and sound to guide the children's behavior and activities, prevent harm, and ensure safety when a four-year-old child left the premises and ran towards the street. The child was unsupervised for less than 1 minute before being discovered by staff. This incident was self-reported by the center. 251.07(2)(c)3. (Time Out - Time ) on 8/14/2026 : The time out period exceeded 3 minutes when a 5 year old child was isolated from the group for a 9 minute timeout in the hallway. In addition, in the two's room a staff member yelled at a child, "go, you have 6 minutes" as the staff member pointed to a chair for a time out. 251.07(2)(c)5. (Time Out - Not Removed From Classroom ) on 8/14/2026 : A 5 year old child was removed from their regularly assigned classroom when a staff member grabbed the child and physically moved them out to the hallway for a 9 minute time out. 251.07(2)(e)3. (Prohibited Actions - Physical Restraint, Restriction, Enclosure ) on 8/14/2026 : Staff A restricted a child's movement when they removed a child from the classroom. Staff A grabbed the child by one arm, as they lifted the child off their feet, and forcefully moved the child out of the classroom and to the hallway. This incident was self-reported by the center. 251.07(2)(e)5. (Prohibited Actions - Cruel, Aversive, Frightening, Humiliating Actions ) on 8/14/2026 : Staff A engaged in a prohibited action that may have been cruel, aversive, frightening or humiliating to children when a staff member repeatedly yelled at the children to sit down on the carpet and in a harsh tone said "Get on the carpet or you can have 9 minutes. It doesn't matter what you want, you earned them."

A warning letter is not an enforcement action under Wisconsin law and carries no appeal rights. Orders and forfeitures are enforcement actions and can be appealed.

Inspection visits

1. Aug 14, 2026 Licensing visit · 11 rules checked, 11 not met 4 serious
   • Other

     During the investigation process, the program provided inaccurate information to the department. Statements made were contrary to video surveillance and written documentation.

     DCF 251.04(2)(c) — Current, Accurate Information

   • Records & paperwork Serious

     Center did not maintain current, accurate written record of the daily attendance when multiple children moved from one classroom to another without this accurately reflected on the attendance.

     DCF 251.04(6)(b) — Current, Accurate Daily Attendance Record

   • Staff background & training

     Staff B did not have a physical examination report on file.

     DCF 251.05(2)(a)3.a. — Staff Record - Physical Examination

   • Staff background & training

     Staff A and Staff B did not have a Registry Certificate on file within six months of employment as required.

     DCF 251.05(2)(a)4.a. — Staff Record - Registry Certificate

   • Supervision & ratios Serious

     Each child was not supervised by a child care worker within sight and sound to guide the children's behavior and activities, prevent harm, and ensure safety when a four-year-old child left the premises and ran towards the street. The child was unsupervised for less than 1 minute before being discovered by staff. This incident was self-reported by the center.

     DCF 251.055(1)(a) — Supervision Of Children

   • Cleanliness & sanitation

     Intervals between routines were not planned and activities were not provided to keep children from waiting when a group of children were expected to sit on the carpet and wait for staff to finish cleaning tables.

     DCF 251.07(1)(d) — Daily Routines

   • Discipline & child guidance

     The time out period exceeded 3 minutes when a 5 year old child was isolated from the group for a 9 minute timeout in the hallway. In addition, in the two's room a staff member yelled at a child, "go, you have 6 minutes" as the staff member pointed to a chair for a time out.

     DCF 251.07(2)(c)3. — Time Out - Time

   • Discipline & child guidance

     A 5 year old child was removed from their regularly assigned classroom when a staff member grabbed the child and physically moved them out to the hallway for a 9 minute time out.

     DCF 251.07(2)(c)5. — Time Out - Not Removed From Classroom

   • Discipline & child guidance Serious

     Staff A restricted a child's movement when they removed a child from the classroom. Staff A grabbed the child by one arm, as they lifted the child off their feet, and forcefully moved the child out of the classroom and to the hallway. This incident was self-reported by the center.

     DCF 251.07(2)(e)3. — Prohibited Actions - Physical Restraint, Restriction, Enclosure

   • Discipline & child guidance Serious

     Staff A engaged in a prohibited action that may have been cruel, aversive, frightening or humiliating to children when a staff member repeatedly yelled at the children to sit down on the carpet and in a harsh tone said "Get on the carpet or you can have 9 minutes. It doesn't matter what you want, you earned them."

     DCF 251.07(2)(e)5. — Prohibited Actions - Cruel, Aversive, Frightening, Humiliating Actions

   • Cleanliness & sanitation

     Children's hands were not washed with soap and warm running water after diapering.

     DCF 251.07(6)(i)1. — Washing Child's Hands & Face

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)

2. Jul 30, 2026 Licensing visit · 104 rules checked, 6 not met 1 serious
   • Staff background & training

     Staff D did not have a Registry Certificate on file documenting that they have met the required educational qualifications for a teacher.

     DCF 251.05(2)(a)4.a. — Staff Record - Registry Certificate

   • Supervision & ratios Serious

     The center did not successfully implement a procedure to ensure that the number, names, and whereabouts of the children in care are known to assigned child care workers at all times. While transitioning from the classroom to the playground, a 4-year-old child ran out of the building to an unfenced area without the assigned child care workers knowledge. Staff failed to conduct name-to-face verification prior to going outside.

     DCF 251.055(1)(f) — Child Tracking Procedure

   • Cleanliness & sanitation

     Toilet room doors in the 3's classroom are capable of being locked and the opening device was not readily accessible to staff.

     DCF 251.06(10)(g) — Toilet Room Door Locks

   • Cleanliness & sanitation

     Garbage was being stored in a bag in the hallway and not stored in a rigid, covered, container or disposed of as necessary.

     DCF 251.06(2)(n) — Garbage Containers - Construction & Disposal Schedule

   • Illness & medication

     Medication authorization form did not have administration instructions and a specified length of authorization. Blanket authorizations are prohibited.

     DCF 251.07(6)(f)1.a. — Medication Administration - Parent Authorization

   • Illness & medication

     Prescription medication in the 3's classroom was not labeled with the child's name, dosage and directions for administration.

     DCF 251.07(6)(f)1.b. — Medication Administration - Containers & Labeling

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)

3. Jul 7, 2026 Licensing visit · 1 rules checked, 1 not met 1 serious
   • Cleanliness & sanitation Serious

     Each child was not supervised by a childcare worker who was within sight and sound of the children to prevent harm and ensure safety, when on June 9th, 2026 a 3-year-old child was left unsupervised in the classroom bathroom for approximately 4 minutes. This incident was self-reported by the center.

     DCF 251.055(1)(a) — Supervision Of Children

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)

4. Nov 13, 2025 Licensing visit · 20 rules checked, 5 not met 2 serious
   • Discipline & child guidance

     Center did not report to the department within 24 hours that a staff member engaged in a prohibited action.

     DCF 251.04(3)(jm) — Report - Prohibited Actions

   • Other

     A staff member disclosed personal information learned about a child and the child's family to another parent.

     DCF 251.04(7)(a) — Disclosure Of Personal Information

   • Staff background & training Serious

     Through statements of center staff it was discovered that an administrative staff member was caring for a child while not having a completed background check.

     DCF 251.05(2)(a)2. — Staff Record - Completed Background Check

   • Discipline & child guidance

     A staff member yelled at a child under the age of three to go sit in a chair for a time out.

     DCF 251.07(2)(c)1. — Time Out - Age

   • Discipline & child guidance Serious

     A staff member engaged in a prohibited action that may have been cruel or frightening to children when in the two-year-old classroom, a staff member repeatedly yelled at the children in a loud and harsh tone when re-directing their behavior and when telling a child to go sit in the "think chair" for a time out. In addition, the same staff member has made remarks to the children that could potentially be humiliating.

     DCF 251.07(2)(e)5. — Prohibited Actions - Cruel, Aversive, Frightening, Humiliating Actions

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)

5. Apr 3, 2025 Licensing visit · 364 rules checked, 2 not met 1 serious
   • Staff background & training

     Staff D did not have a registry certificate on file documenting that they have met the educational qualifications for their position.

     DCF 251.05(2)(a)4.a. — Staff Record - Registry Certificate

   • Staff background & training Serious

     Staff D did not have documentation of completing entry level training prior to assuming the position of a child care teacher.

     DCF 251.05(3)(f)3. — Child Care Teacher - Entry-Level Training

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)

6. Apr 16, 2024 Licensing visit

   No violations cited on this visit.

   DCF visit report · Correction plan (PDF)