Wisconsin Background Information Disclosure (BID): What Foster Applicants Need to Know

The background check process for Wisconsin foster care licensing is one of the most misunderstood parts of the application. People assume they fill out a form and wait for results. What actually happens is a sequenced, multi-layer process where doing steps in the wrong order wastes time and money. The Background Information Disclosure (BID) is where the sequence begins.

What the BID Is

The BID — Form DCF-F-2978 — is a self-disclosure document required of every adult household member (18+) and, in some households, children as young as 12. You fill it out before background checks run. It asks:

• Any criminal convictions, including misdemeanors
• Any pending criminal charges
• Any prior substantiated findings of child abuse or neglect by any government agency
• Any prior contact with child protective services, even if no findings were made
• Whether you've ever been denied a license to work with children or vulnerable populations

The BID is not a minor paperwork step. Wisconsin DCF treats discrepancies between your BID and your actual criminal or CPS history as grounds for denial based on lack of truthfulness — not the underlying offense itself. An applicant who failed to disclose a minor trespassing charge from college and had a clean record otherwise can be denied for concealment, while an applicant who disclosed the same charge might be approved after review.

The takeaway: disclose everything. The agency sees your full DOJ and FBI results after the fact. If something you didn't mention shows up, it becomes a truthfulness problem.

How the BID Connects to the Rest of the Background Check

The BID is Step 1 in a three-part sequence. The complete process under Wis. Stat. § 48.685:

Step 1 — BID: Submitted with your application to your county agency or private CPA. The licensing worker enters it into the state's eWiSACWIS child welfare data system.

Step 2 — DOJ Check: The eWiSACWIS entry triggers a name-based search of Wisconsin's criminal history repository through the Department of Justice. This check identifies arrests and convictions within the state.

Step 3 — FBI Fingerprint Check: After the BID is entered, the agency provides you with a Fieldprint Reference ID — a case-specific code tied to your file in eWiSACWIS. You use this code to schedule your digital fingerprinting appointment with Fieldprint, the state-contracted vendor. Fingerprint collection costs $37.75 per person. Results go directly from the FBI to DCF for a national criminal history check.

This sequence is where applicants lose weeks. The most common mistake: scheduling a Fieldprint appointment before the agency provides the Reference ID. Without the code, your fingerprints are collected but the results don't attach to your foster care file. You have to start over, pay again, and wait for a new appointment.

The reference ID cannot be generated until your BID is entered into eWiSACWIS. The BID cannot be entered until you submit it with your application. This means the fingerprinting clock doesn't start until your application is in — which is why submitting your application promptly and completely is the most time-sensitive early step.

What Else the Combined Check Covers

Wisconsin's § 48.685 system checks more than criminal records. When you submit the BID and trigger the check sequence, the system also searches:

• Wisconsin's Abuse and Neglect Registry: Any substantiated findings of child maltreatment against anyone in your household
• Sex Offender Registry: A geographical search to confirm no registered sex offenders live at your home address (within approximately one mile)
• Professional Licensing Boards: If any adult in your household holds a healthcare or other licensed professional credential, the system checks for disciplinary actions against that license

If any adult in your household has lived outside Wisconsin in the past five years, the licensing agency must request records from the child abuse and neglect registries in those prior states. Every state has its own process for releasing this information — some respond in days, others take weeks. This is the part of the background check process that can extend timelines most unpredictably.

Absolute Bars and Variance Review

Wisconsin law distinguishes between offenses that permanently disqualify an applicant and those that may be reviewed.

Absolute bars include convictions for felony child abuse, homicide, sexual assault, and certain other serious crimes involving children or violence. These cannot be waived, regardless of how long ago the conviction occurred or what the applicant has done since.

Rehabilitative review applies to less severe convictions. If an offense is not an absolute bar, the applicant can go through a review process that examines whether they've been successfully rehabilitated and whether the past offense is still "substantially related" to the care of children. Time elapsed, demonstrated behavior change, and professional references all factor into this assessment.

The "substantially related" standard is important. A DUI from ten years ago is evaluated differently than a domestic violence charge from two years ago, even if both are technically misdemeanors.

Protecting Your Household Members' Privacy

Everyone in the household goes through this process — not just the primary applicants. A college-age child living at home, a visiting caregiver who regularly stays over, an adult parent helping with child care — if they have regular access to the foster child, they need to be cleared.

The BID also asks about juvenile records in some circumstances. If a household member has a sealed or expunged record, consult with the licensing agency about disclosure requirements before submitting — the rules around sealed records vary by the type of offense.

After the Check Is Complete

Background check results typically take 5 to 7 business days after fingerprinting for the FBI national check. If results are clean, the process moves forward to the home study phase. If something flagged, the agency will contact you to discuss it — which is why upfront disclosure in the BID is strategically important. Surprises in the results are handled much less favorably than self-disclosed items.

The Wisconsin Foster Care Licensing Guide includes the full BID-to-Fieldprint sequence as a numbered checklist, guidance on what to disclose and how, and an explanation of the rehabilitative review process for families with a history that might raise questions.

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