Rule 5180:2-12-21 | Non-traditional care.
(A) What is non-traditional care?
Non-traditional care means care for children in evening and overnight settings or care provided through mobile preschools operating as part of a licensed child care center.
(B) When is a licensed child care center considered to be providing evening and overnight care?
For the purposes of this rule:
(1) Evening care is provided when children are in attendance anytime between the hours of seven p.m. and midnight.
(2) Overnight care is provided when children are in attendance anytime between the hours of seven p.m. and six a.m.
(C) What are the requirements for all centers providing evening and overnight care?
Centers providing evening and overnight care are to ensure that:
(1) Child care staff members remain awake at all times.
(2) Adequate lighting is provided indoors in all areas, including bathrooms, hallways, and sleeping rooms to ensure that child care staff members are able to see all children at all times.
(3) Parking areas, outdoor walkways, and all building entrances be adequately lighted for safety and security.
(D) What are the requirements when evening and overnight care is provided where children are preparing for bedtime and/or sleeping at the center?
If a licensed child care center provides evening or overnight care, when children are preparing for bedtime and/or sleeping at the center, the center is to ensure the following:
(1) The center is to develop and follow bedtime routines in consultation with the parents of the children.
(2) The center is to provide sleeping arrangements so that sleeping children are cared for separately from children who are awake, so that sleeping children are not disturbed by arrivals and departures.
(3) The center is to ensure areas where children sleep during evening and overnight care are on the building's ground floor unless another floor has been approved for the care of sleeping children by the local fire official having jurisdiction.
(E) What sanitary environment and additional hygiene stipulations are to be followed by the center when children are preparing for bedtime and/or sleeping at the center?
The center will:
(1) Ensure that each child who sleeps at the center for four or more hours has clean comfortable sleeping clothes.
(2) Ensure that child care staff members assist children during washing and changing clothes according to children's developmental needs.
(3) Separate school-age boys from school-age girls during washing and while changing clothes to ensure privacy.
(4) If the child has a bedtime routine occurring at the center, ensure that each child has a clean, individual washcloth, towel and toothbrush, as appropriate for the age of the child, and labeled with the child's name.
(5) Provide children access to running water, liquid soap and toothpaste.
(6) Ensure bathtubs and showers are equipped to prevent slipping, if the center provides bathing. The center is to also have written permission from the parent prior to allowing the child to bathe.
(7) Ensure bathtubs and showers are cleaned and sanitized after each use. The tub or showers do not have to be sanitized between uses if the children are siblings and the parent has provided written consent. All children are to bathe separately unless the children are siblings and the parent has provided written consent that the children can be bathed together.
(F) What is a mobile preschool?
"Mobile preschool" means a part-time preschool unit operated by a licensed child care center with a movable classroom that uses no permanent building on a regular basis. A mobile preschool can enroll preschool children, as defined in rule 5180:2-12-01 of the Administrative Code. For purposes of mobile preschool, a child who is eligible for but not yet attending kindergarten may be considered a preschool age child.
(G) What are the facility requirements for a center operating a mobile preschool?
Centers are to ensure that a mobile preschool vehicle or mobile unit meets the following facility requirements in addition to applicable child care center requirements in Chapter 5180:2-12 of the Administrative Code:
(1) Vehicles approved for use in mobile preschools are class C recreational vehicles or class C motorhomes. The class C vehicle is to contain a minimum of one restroom with a toilet and a sink.
(2) Mobile preschool vehicles are to be approved by the Ohio department of children and youth (DCY) before use and are to comply with ongoing vehicle inspection requirements found in rule 5180:2-12-14 of the Administrative Code.
(3) There is to be a minimum of fifteen square feet per child in the mobile classroom. Usable floor space means wall-to-wall indoor floor space for the exclusive use of children. This does not include the driver's area of the recreational vehicle, which is to be off-limits to children at all times.
(4) The center is to ensure that the mobile preschool vehicle is to:
(a) Be parked on a level surface and secured with wheel chocks on both sides of at least one axle prior to children arriving for care. Wheel chocks should be the appropriate size and made of suitable material to securely hold the vehicle in place.
(b) Have two means of emergency egress.
(c) Be capable of providing heating and air conditioning.
(d) Obtain and maintain an appropriate food service license.
(H) What are the staffing and supervision requirements for a center operating a mobile preschool?
Centers are to ensure that a mobile preschool unit meets the following staffing and supervision requirements in addition to applicable child care center requirements in Chapter 5180:2-12 of the Administrative Code. The center operating a mobile preschool is to ensure that:
(1) No more than eight children are in attendance at any given time in each mobile preschool. Mobile preschool units will have their own licensed capacity which is included in the total capacity of the licensed child care center.
(2) At least two qualified child care staff members are present on-site during operating hours.
(3) Each preschool class session is not to exceed four hours.
(4) A qualified administrator is available at the center and responsible for the mobile preschool during the mobile unit's operating hours. An administrator can oversee multiple mobile preschool units under the same child care center license.
(5) The driver of the mobile preschool complies with all driver requirements found in rule 5180:2-12-14 of the Administrative Code.
(6) Children are directly supervised when entering and exiting the mobile preschool.
(I) What are the safety and emergency preparedness requirements for a center operating a mobile preschool?
Centers are to ensure that a mobile preschool meets the following safety and emergency preparedness requirements in addition to applicable child care center requirements in Chapter 5180:2-12 of the Administrative Code. The center operating a mobile preschool is to ensure that:
(1) Written stop location schedules are to be provided to parents and DCY. Any changes to the mobile preschool parking location are to be communicated to parents and submitted to DCY thirty days in advance through the Ohio statewide licensing system.
(2) The center is to have a DCY approved plan for:
(a) Child records, including recording attendance and maintaining enrollment information in accordance with rule 5180:2-12-15 of the Administrative Code.
(b) Health care plans and administration of medication procedures in accordance with rules 5180:2-12-16 and 5180:2-12-25 of the Administrative Code.
(c) Always-available communication with the licensed child care center administrator or their designee during hours of operation.
(d) Emergency preparedness and response plan (EPRP), including evacuation and location for reunification with parents, for fire, severe weather, security threats and unexpected incidents.
(e) Transporting children to and from the mobile unit, in the case of an emergency.
(f) Vehicle breakdowns and cancellation policy or location within the center for children to attend when mobile unit is not available.
(g) Unexpected care incidents including, but not limited to, parent failure to pick up a child or staff illness during preschool time.
(h) Conducting monthly drills for fire evacuation, severe weather response, stranger danger scenarios, and security threats.
(J) What are the safe and sanitary environment and additional hygiene stipulations that are to be followed by the center operating a mobile preschool?
Centers are to ensure that a mobile preschool unit follows child care center requirements for a safe and sanitary environment outlined in Chapter 5180:2-12 of the Administrative Code. In addition, the center operating a mobile preschool is to ensure:
(1) The mobile preschool vehicle is not to move while children are in attendance.
(2) Children are not exposed to carbon monoxide emissions.
(3) An indoor temperature of at least sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. If indoor temperature exceeds eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit, ventilation that produces air movement or air conditioning is to be provided.
Last updated July 1, 2026 at 8:34 AM
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