Process Requirements

PROVIDER REGISTRATION PROCESS
(for potential family child care providers in Crawford, Marion, Morrow & Richland counties in Ohio ONLY)

When you join our program as a family child care provider, you will be connected to:

	FREE REFERRALS - We put you in touch with families who need child care.
	FREE ASSISTANCE & INFORMATION - Help you start your own business in your home by showing you how to set up letters of agreement with your families, receive fair pay for the child care you provide, receive newsletters and ongoing help for your business. We are here to help you succeed!
	OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING - Get new ideas or learn about the latest research, in your area, at little or no cost to you.
	SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT BECOMING A CERTIFIED HOME PROVIDER - We will explain how you can receive direct payment from your local county Department of Jobs & Family Services for child care if a family qualifies for assistance. This is determined by family size and income. Certified providers can also receive reimbursement for meals through the Adult & Child Care Food Program from the Ohio Department of Education.
	NETWORK OF OTHERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO THE CARE OF CHILDREN - You aren't out there on your own! You will be able to meet and connect with others who do what you do.

As you can see, joining our network connects you to children and parents who need your services. It connects you to good ideas, others who want to provide high quality child care and to programs that will help increase your earnings. On top of all the other benefits, you will be self-employed and working from your own home.

The parents who call us are looking for the very best program for their child. Therefore, to become listed with Child Care Choices, you must fulfill certain requirements. These requirements not only protect the children you care for, but they protect you as well. The basic requirements are listed below.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

You must be 18 or older and have a High School Diploma or GED Equivalent.
You must be a parent or have some experience and/or training in caring for children.
You cannot care for more than six children at a time (your own children six and older won't count in the ratio). No more than three children in the group can be under the age of two.
You will provide, on your application form, the names and addresses of four individuals who are not related to you for us to contact as references.
You will agree to participate in our online, website child care referral service for parents that is available 24 hours a day.
In order to protect children against abuse, each person living in your home who is 18 or older, must have a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) record check completed. If any individual has not lived in the State of Ohio within the last five years, an FBI check will also need to be done. You are responsible for the cost and we will provide you with information on where to have the WebCheck completed.
You must sign a statement stating that you are physically and emotionally able to care for children.
You must agree to provide a smoke-free environment for children. During child care hours smoking is only permitted if the persons who are smoking cannot be seen by the children and the smoke is so far removed from the children that they cannot inhale any smoke.
We will conduct a fire, safety and health inspection of your home. We will provide you with the information of what you will need to have in place before the inspections.
When all requirements are complete, there will be a registration/orientation visit from us, at which time you will receive a final home interview.

At first these requirements may seem overwhelming, however, Child Care Choices feels that requiring minimal standards for home providers will improve the quality of care for children.

We hope you will become connected to our network of quality child care homes.

GOOD LUCK!!