Ohio

Staff-child ratios (centers)

Requirements

Annual training

Each child care staff member must complete a minimum of 6 clock hours of professional development training each fiscal year (staff hired January-June start with the following fiscal year). All staff must be trained in first aid and CPR appropriate to the ages served, completed within the first 90 days of hire (OAC 5180:2-12-10).

Lead teacher

Child care staff members must be at least 16 and have completed high school — or be at least a high school junior enrolled in or having completed an early childhood career-technical program, a CDA training program or credential, or an ECE-focused college credit program. Staff under 18 work under supervision limitations.

Director

An administrator needs a high school education plus one of 12 options (A-L in Appendix A to rule 5180:2-12-07): e.g., at least an associate degree in child development/ECE, a current Ohio administrator credential, Career Pathways Level 3, or a CDA or 4 ECE college courses combined with 2 years of experience in early care and education.

Worth knowing

Young infants may alternatively be staffed 2:12 in the same room. Rules were renumbered from 5101:2-12 (ODJFS) to 5180:2-12 under the Department of Children and Youth; administrator and staff rules are effective July 1, 2026, while the ratio appendix in force is dated October 29, 2021 (still captioned 5101:2-12-18).

Compliance

Background checks

Owners, administrators and all employees/child care staff (including substitutes and under-18 staff) need background checks before employment and every five years from the most recent BCI check: Ohio BCI records, FBI records, national and state sex offender registries, and the SACWIS statewide child welfare (abuse/neglect) database, with other states contacted for anyone who lived elsewhere in the prior five years (OAC 5180:2-12-09). Disqualification follows ORC 109.572 offenses, sex-offender registration, or a substantiated SACWIS perpetrator finding within ten years.

Mandated reporting

Administrators and employees of child care centers are mandated reporters under ORC 2151.421, reporting known or reasonably suspected abuse/neglect to the county public children services agency or a peace officer. Child abuse recognition and prevention training is required within 60 days of hire (OAC 5180:2-12-10).

First aid & CPR

Child care staff must complete first aid and CPR training within the first 90 days of hire and keep certification current and appropriate to the ages and developmental levels of children served (OAC 5180:2-12-10). At minimum, one trained staff member must be on-site in each building during all hours of operation until every staff member is trained.

Health & safety training

New employees receive orientation under OAC 5180:2-12-08, must complete child abuse and neglect recognition/prevention training within 60 days of hire, and first aid/CPR within 90 days; until all staff are trained, at least one trained staff member per topic (including communicable disease management) must be on-site in each building during all operating hours (5180:2-12-10). All staff must complete at least six clock hours of professional development each state fiscal year, excluding the health trainings.

Operations

Supervision rule

Staff may never leave children unsupervised and must maintain situational awareness at all times — near enough to protect, respond and anticipate hazards — with mirrors/technology only supplementing direct observation; staff must remain outdoors with children during outdoor play (OAC 5180:2-12-19). School-age children may briefly step away under defined conditions (within hearing distance, checks every 5-10 minutes by grade), and written parental permission with documented details is required for school-age off-site departures.

Record-keeping

Enrollment records (DCY 01234 or equivalent) are required by each child's first day and reviewed annually; immunization documentation is due within 30 days and updated every 13 months; health care plans are required for chronic conditions; and child records are kept on file for 12 months from signing/updating (OAC 5180:2-12-15). Incident/injury reports are required for injuries, head bumps and safety hazards (5180:2-12-16), and staff files must document TB screening, orientation and training verification (5180:2-12-08, -10).

Inspections

Licensed centers receive at least one compliance inspection each state fiscal year (at least two during the provisional license period), at least one of which is unannounced, plus complaint investigations (OAC 5180:2-12-03). Noncompliances are classified moderate-risk (3 points) or serious-risk (6 points), and inspection reports are public via the child care search tool on the DCY website.

Worth knowing: Ohio's center rules were renumbered from ODJFS chapter 5101:2-12 to DCY chapter 5180:2-12 after the Department of Children and Youth was created; several rules cited carry a July 1, 2026 effective date, so verify against the version in force for your audience's date.

Family & home child care

Ohio Admin. Code Chapter 5180:2-13 (Licensing Family Child Care Homes); Ohio Rev. Code 5104.01

Type B Family Child Care Home (licensed)

The provider's permanent residence, caring for 1 to 7 children at one time, with no more than 3 children under age 2 at one time. Children under age 6 related to the provider who are on the premises count toward the total (ORC 5104.01; OAC 5180:2-13-18).No more than 3 children under age 2 at any one time (OAC 5180:2-13-18).

Type A Family Child Care Home (licensed)

The administrator's permanent residence, caring for 8 to 14 children at one time (or 4 to 14 when 4 or more are under age 2); no more than 14 children total, and no more than 7 children — with at most 3 under age 2 — per child care staff member, so additional staff are required as enrollment grows. Related children under 6 on the premises count (ORC 5104.01; OAC 5180:2-13-18).No more than 3 children under age 2 per child care staff member (OAC 5180:2-13-18).

Provider training

A minimum of 6 clock hours of professional development annually (state fiscal year, July 1-June 30) in approved categories, plus current first aid and CPR certification appropriate to the ages in care (OAC 5180:2-13-10).

Worth knowing

Licensing moved from ODJFS (OAC 5101:2-13/2-12) to the Department of Children and Youth (OAC 5180:2-13). Family child care capacity was recently increased (Type B to 7 children; Type A to 14); the 5180:2-13-18 version fetched is effective July 1, 2026. Verify the in-force version for dates before that.