Ohio
Ohio Childcare
State Requirements



Worker Qualifications
Child Care Staff Member: Must be at least 18 years old and have a high school education or have completed a training program approved by the Department of Human Services. Such approved programs include a vocation education home economics course or a Child Care Job Training Porgram for Adults which must include completeing 5 required and 3 elective courses for a total of 160 hours.
Provider /Child Ratio

What is covered by the licensing law in Ohio? Ohio Law defines "child day care" as administering to the needs of children outside of school hours by persons other than their parents or guardians on a less than twenty-four hour basis. Some types of child care must be regulated in Ohio; other types of child care may operate without a license.

What must be regulated? Centers - seven or more children of any age. Centers must be licensed. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services licenses over 3500 child care centers which care for over 215,000 children each day.

Age Range Ratios for Center Based Care in Ohio State
Infants (1:5) and (1:6)
Toddlers (1:7) and (1:8)
Preschool (1:12) and (1:14)
Schoolage (1:18) and (1:20)
Mixed age group ration for youngest child in group
Age Range Ratios for Family Child Carein Ohio State
All ages (1:6) includes providers children under 6 years of age; and no more than 3 may be under 2 years of age.
Regulated Daycare Descriptions
Centers Seven or more children of any age. Centers must be licensed.
Type A Homes Seven to twelve children (or four to twelve children if four children are under two years of age) cared for in the provider’s personal residence. The provider’s own children under six years of age must be included in the total count. Type A homes must be licensed. 60 type A family day care homes are licensed by the Department of Job and Family Services.
Type B Homes One to six children cared for in the provider’s personal residence. No more than three children may be under two years of age. The provider’s own children under six years of age must be included in the total count. Anyone can operate a Type B Home without a license. However, care for more than 6 children requires a license. Type B homes must be certified by the county department of Job and Family Services if the child care is paid for with public funds.
Schoolage Centers Seven or more children aged kindergarten and above. Schoolage centers must be licensed.
Child Day Camps Program which operates for less than seven hours a day and only during the vacation of the public schools, cared only for schoolage children, and which is at least 50% outdoor based. Child day camps must register with the department each year. If child care is paid for with public funds, the camp must also meet American Camping Association Accreditation standards, or be approved by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Some examples of programs which do not require licensure:
• Care provided in a child’s own home; programs which operate two weeks or less a year;
• Programs where parents remain on the premises (unless at the parent’s employment site);
• Specialized training in specific subjects, such as art, drama, dance, swimming, etc.
• Programs which operate one day a week for no more than six hours.

Programs licensed by other agencies: Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Centers - In Ohio, the Department of Education licenses child care programs operated by public and private chartered schools, and Head Start programs. Rules and regulations: Ohio’s child care regulations consist of basic requirements designed to prevent harm to children’s health, safety and development. The regulations cover the following areas:
• License/Approvals
• Staff Requirements
• Staffing/Grouping
• Space Requirements
• Program Equipment
• Policies/Procedures
• Safety/Discipline
• Health Program
• Children’s Records
• Nutrition
• Handwashing/Diapers
• Infant Care

Ohio’s child care centers are inspected prior to receiving a license, and after license issuance - once a year (for part time centers) or twice a year (for full time centers) - to be sure they continue to meet the requirements. Centers will also be investigated in response to complaints. Ohio’s child care centers must post their license in a conspicuous place where parents can see it. They must also post copies of inspection reports for parent’s review.


Contact Information
Child Care Licensing Agency
Ohio Department of Job & Family Services
Bureau of Child Care and Development
4020 E. Fifth Ave.
Columbus, OH 43218
Phone: (614) 466-3822 or (614) 752-0435
Toll Free: (877) 302-2347
Fax: (614) 644-1944
Ohio Daycare Listings
Child Care Subsidy Agency
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Bureau of Child Care and Development
50th W Town Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1043
Fax: (614) 728-6803
Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Ohio Department of Education
25 South Front Street
Mail Stop 305
Columbus, OH, 43215
Phone: (614) 466-0224
Fax: (614) 728-2338
Child Care Food Program Agency
Office for Safety, Health and Nutrition
Ohio Department of Education
25 South Front Street, Mail Stop 303
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4183
Phone: (614) 466-9225 or (800) 808-MEAL
Fax: (614) 752-7613
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association
6660 Doubletree Avenue
Columbus, OH 43229
Phone: (614) 396-5959, dial "0" for assistance
Toll Free: (877) 547-6978
Fax: (614) 396-5960
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Department of Human Services and Jobs and Family Services
30 East Broad Street, 31st Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3414
Phone: (614) 752-6561
Fax: (614) 752-9760
Child Abuse Reporting Hotline
To report suspected child abuse in Ohio, call the county Children's Services Board or the county Human Services Department. Contact district offices of Human Services Department in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Canton, or Toledo for appropriate referral.
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)
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