Education: Finding Child Care

FINDING CHILD CARE

A guide to Ohio’s daycare settings and school-based programs

Ohio’s child care programs are regulated by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Education. The two agencies have a quality rating system called Step Up To Quality, or SUTQ, to help parents find the care options that best meet their children’s needs.

SUTQ evaluates child care programs based on four main criteria: learning and development, staff qualifications and professional development, administrative and leadership practices, and family and community partnerships. Programs are awarded one to five stars based on how well they meet specific goals in each category.

“Parents need options that give them the confidence to leave their child in a safe and nurturing environment while going to work to support their family,” says Dasia Clemente, public information officer for ODJFS. “Under Ohio’s system, parents have a wide choice of child care options to meet their specific needs and the tools necessary to help them find which of those options is best.”

ODJFS licenses three main types of care options: child care centers, Type A homes and Type B homes. Most traditional daycares fall into the child care center category. They often consist of a dedicated building, though centers can be housed in a personal residence in some cases.

In a Type A home, the provider cares for seven to 12 children in his or her own residence, with some restrictions. Type B homes serve one to six children in the provider’s own home; no more than three of the children may be under 2 years old. Unlike the previous two options, ODJFS licensure is optional for Type B homes.

The Ohio Department of Education licenses school-based programs for preschool and schoolage children. Typically referred to as early care and education programs, they can include care before, during and after regular school hours.

Clemente encourages parents to use the searchable database that ODJFS offers to find a provider based on location, SUTQ rating, child’s age and more.

Another helpful resource, the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association, provides direct support to families in the form of information, a searchable database and more through its regional resource and referral agencies.

“PARENTS NEED OPTIONS THAT GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO LEAVE THEIR CHILD IN A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHILE GOING TO WORK TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.”

DASIA CLEMENTE

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Public Information Officer

CHILD CARE ONLINE RESOURCES

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Searchable Database childcaresearch.ohio.gov

Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association occrra.org

Step Up To Quality stepuptoquality.org