Become a Provider
Overview of Child Care Types
Child Care Centers
Child Care Centers — seven or more children at one time.
Family Child Care Providers
Family Child Care Providers (Type A and Type B Home Providers).
Type A Home providers can care for seven to 12 children at one time, however, each staff member can care for no more than six children at one time (and no more than three children under age two).
Type B Home providers can care for no more than six children at one time (and no more than three children under age two). Children under six years of age related to the provider (including the provider's own children) and residents of the home must be included in total group size.
Child Day Camps
"Child day camp" means a program in which only school children attend or participate, that operates for no more than 12 hours per day and only during school breaks or no more than 15 weeks during the summer. "School-age child" means a child who is enrolled in or is eligible to be enrolled in a grade of kindergarten or above but is less than 15 years old or, in the case of a child who is receiving special needs child care, is less than 18 years old.
DCY 01314 — Child Care Day Camps-Getting Started
Registered Child Day Camps
Registration of child day camps with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is required by sections 5104.21 and 5104.22 of the Ohio Revised Code. Registrations must be submitted through the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS).
Approved Child Day Camps
Approved child day camp means a child day camp that is approved to enter into a provider agreement to provide publicly funded child care (PFCC) pursuant to rule 5101:2-16-09 of the Ohio Administrative Code. Approved child day camps shall meet one of the following requirements:
- Be accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA).
- Be accredited by any nationally recognized organization that accredits child day camps by using standards that DCY has determined are substantially similar and comparable to those of the ACA.
Visit our Background Check page for an overview of the background check process.
Click complete staff orientation training to complete training for Approved Day Camp staff members. If you have completed the pre-camp orientation training as a day camp owner and are required to take the staff orientation training, you do not need to take the training again as the pre-camp orientation meets the rule requirement.
In-Home Aides (IHA)
DCY 01313 — In-Home Aide Certification-Getting Started
Steps to Become an IHA
- Create a profile in the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR).
- Complete and submit a Request for Background Check in the OPR. Visit our background check page for more information.
- Complete the required "Pre-Certification Orientation for In-Home Aides" training located in the OPR.
- Apply for certification in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS). An application is due every two years to remain certified. Required documents:
- DCY 01642
- Medical statement
- Verification of high school diploma or general educational development (GED)
- Verification of current certification in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); training in communicable diseases; training in child abuse and neglect
- The applicant must be certified within 12 months of the application submission date or it will close, and the applicant will need to apply again.
- The applicant receives a pre-certification visit from the county's licensing specialist.
- The county completes an unannounced annual inspection before issuing a certificate. At least one unannounced inspection is required each fiscal year (DCY 01533).
Compliance Tips
- Certifications are valid for two years.
- A certification is only valid for the home listed when you applied. It is also only valid for the number of children listed on the DCY 01642.
- The IHA may have no more than two children of their own present while providing care at the designated location.
- The orientation training must be completed before applying to become an IHA. The training must have happened within the previous two years from the application date.
- The DCY 01642 “In-Home Aide Assurances” must be completed every two years by both the IHA and the parent/caretaker.
Frequently Asked IHA Questions
Does an IHA certificate need issued each time a family completes a redetermination for PFCC?
No, the two are not connected. The IHA certificate is valid for two years if they stay with the same family.
Can an IHA have more than one certification?
Yes, the IHA may serve multiple families and will require a certificate for each family. Anytime an IHA adds/changes a family, they must submit a request for a background check.
What if a family moves to a new address?
The IHA and parent/caretaker must notify the county agency within 10 days prior to moving. The county will complete a new inspection and issue a certificate with the new address. The original certification period will be maintained at the new address per 5101:2-14-02.
What IHA information should be kept on file at the county?
The county agency must keep the DCY 01176 “Program Notification of Background Check Review for Child Care” on file for all certified IHAs.
Required Training Before Applying
The following required trainings for child care programs are now available for completion in the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR).
- Pre-Licensing Training for Child Care Centers
- Pre-Licensing Training for Family Child Care Providers (Type A or B Home Provider)
- Pre-Camp for Approved Child Day Camps
- Pre-Certification Orientation for In-Home Aides
Once the above pre-training is completed in the OPR, the applicant can begin the application process in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS). Please see the instructions on how to submit an application in OCLQS. For access to OCLQS, use the following link: https://oclqs.my.site.com.
Get Step Up To Quality Rated
Programs that provide publicly funded child care (PFCC) must be Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) rated, unless the program meets an exemption.
Click here to find out more about PFCC.
SUTQ is a three tier rating and improvement system run by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and DCY. This system recognizes and encourages programs that meet standards that are even better than the health and safety laws. The standards for the program come from research done all over the country about what can help children do better.