Publicly Funded Child Care
What is Child Care Assistance?
Lorain County Department Job and Family Services offers financial help to eligible parents/caregivers in Lorain County to help them with child care costs while they engage in work, education, or job training. More than 116,000 families get financial help for child care each month. This help allows low-income parents/caregivers to find and keep jobs. It also ensures their children have access to the early care and education experience needed to succeed in school.
Learn more about Publicly Funded Child Care
Child Care Choice Program:
In Ohio, the average cost of child care for a family with two children in child care is just over $22,600. The cost of child care makes working families face the difficult decision of whether they should go to work or stay home with their children. Additionally, approximately 13% of Ohio's children under the age of 6 live in families where someone quit, changed, or refused a job because of problems with child care.
Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) program serves families earning up to 145% of the federal poverty level. In an effort to better support Ohio’s families, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth is launching the Child Care Choice Program which allocates $140 million to this new voucher program ($40 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) supplemental discretionary funds and $100 million from Child Care Development Fund).
If the family is denied for PFCC for being over income and have a household income at 146% - 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), the County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) will automatically explore eligibility for the Child Care Choice Program.
What is the Child Care Choice Program and who is eligible?
The Child Care Choice Program provides financial support to families working or going to school whose income is at 146-200% of the federal poverty level based on family size. The Child Care Choice voucher payments will assist with the cost of tuition for any child whose family meets the eligibility requirements of the Child Care Choice Program.
Learn more about Child Care Choice Program
Early Childhood Education Grant
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Grant is an important investment in Ohio’s youngest learners. The purpose of the ECE Grant is to maximize a child’s early educational experiences. These experiences help to prepare children for success in kindergarten by providing high-quality early learning services to Ohio’s preschool age children. The state funded ECE Grant is awarded to early care and education programs who are required to provide developmentally appropriate learning environments that address the outcomes and goals essential for healthy development and academic, social, and emotional growth.
Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio’s General Assembly demonstrated the state’s commitment to early childhood education when House Bill 33 was signed into law. Ohio currently allocates funding for over 30,000 children. The ECE Grant is a critical investment in Ohio’s youngest learners.
High-quality programming includes implementing a curriculum aligned to the Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards, setting learning goals for children based on assessment data, degreed teachers engaging in on-going professional development and building partnerships with families and the community.
If the family is denied for PFCC for being over income and have a household income at 146% - 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), the County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) will automatically explore eligibility for the Early Childhood Education Program.
Learn more about Early Childhood Education Grant.
The child care workers at LCDJFS are proud to serve Lorain County's families.
- Approximately 1,250 families each month receive publicly-funded child care assistance
- Lorain County has approximately 60 in-home child care providers
- There are approximately 83 licensed child care centers in Lorain County
Two main responsibilities:
- Determining eligibility for publicly-funded child care for low income parents and parents receiving OWF cash assistance. This allows parents to work, obtain job training, or attend school while being assured that their children are cared for in a safe, quality environment.
- State licensing the child care provider homes. This involves completing home inspections, gathering and checking references, and doing background checks.
Learn more about types of child care.