Frequently Asked Questions

My child care provider and I cannot agree on how many hours she has watched my son. What do I do?
Each child care provider has daily sign in sheets, and the parent is asked to sign their child/children in and out. It is the parent's responsibility to check the monthly billing forms before signing them to see that the sign in sheets agree with the time on the billing forms. If the parent and provider still cannot agree on the times the children were watched, the attending parent should contact the Lorain County Child Care Unit for assistance.

Child Care assistance is provided for what age of children?
Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services provides assistance paying for child care for children until their 13th birthday per (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services) Services Child Care Rules.

Is there a limit to the number of hours my provider can watch my children each day?
In accordance with Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services Child Care Rules, a provider can only be paid for a maximum of 18 hours of care per day.

I work third shift. Can the Department of Job and Family Services pay for a child care provider while I sleep?
It is possible for Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services to pay for a limited amount of sleep time (4 hours per day). This decision is made on a case by case basis and you should contact the Child Care Unit about this. It may be necessary to use 2 providers if your child would need more than 18 hours of care under these circumstances.

I am unemployed and looking for work. Will you pay for child care during this time?
Lorain County Child Care Services can only pay for child care if you are working, going to school, or participating in an OWF program. If you are job hunting and not participating in this program we cannot pay for your child care. We cannot pay for child care for you to keep medical or legal appointments, grocery shopping, etc. If you need child care for these occasions, you must make arrangements with your provider to pay her privately for this care.

I only use child care 2 days in the month. Do I still owe the entire co-payment (fee)?
You are responsible for your co-payment regardless of the number of days or hours your have used child care services in the month. If the cost of child care for the month is less than your co-payment, you pay the actual cost of care to your provider.

I want to be certified as a child care provider with Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services. What do I have to do, and how long will it take?
If you are interested in being certified as a Child Care Provider you should contact the Child Care Unit of Lorain County. We have informational meetings where the application process will be explained and you will receive the necessary application. The average length of time for certification as a Type B Child Care Home is 12 weeks. The length of time for certification depends on how quickly your get all of the necessary information (fingerprint cards, medical statement, references, etc.) submitted to us. After we receive this information from you, we will send the fingerprints to the state and inquiries to your references. After we have received all necessary information and the references are back, we will contact you to set up a time to come out and inspect your home.

Will you pay someone to come into MY home and care for my children?
At the present time Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services does not pay for a provider to come into your home to care for your children.

Can I take my children to a Day Care Center?
Lorain County Child Care has contracts with most of the child care centers in Lorain County and many others in the surrounding area. See the Child Care Provider Locator link for a listing of these centers.