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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Section 5104.033 | Staff to child ratios.

 

(A)(1) A child care center shall have at least two responsible adults available on the premises at all times when seven or more children are in the center. The center shall organize the children in the center in small groups, shall provide child care staff to give continuity of care and supervision to the children on a day-by-day basis, and shall ensure that no child is left alone or unsupervised. Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the maximum number of children per child care staff member and maximum group size, by age category of children, are as follows:

Age Category of ChildrenMaximum Number of Children Per child care Staff MemberMaximum Group Size
(a) Infants:
(i) Less than twelve months old5:1, or 12:2 if two child care staff members are in the room12
(ii) At least twelve months old, but less than eighteen months old6:112
(b) Toddlers:
(i) At least eighteen months old, but less than thirty months old7:114
(ii) At least thirty months old, but less than three years old8:116
(c) Preschool-age children:
(i) Three years old12:124
(ii) Four years old and five years old who are not school children14:1 28
(d) School-age children
(i) A child who is enrolled in or is eligible to be enrolled in a grade of kindergarten or above, but is less than eleven years old18:136
(ii) Eleven through fourteen years old20:140

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the maximum number of children per child care staff member and maximum group size requirements of the younger age group shall apply when age groups are combined.

(B)(1) When age groups are combined, the maximum number of children per child care staff member shall be determined by the age of the youngest child in the group, except that when no more than one child thirty months of age or older receives services in a group in which all the other children are in the next older age group, the maximum number of children per child care staff member and maximum group size requirements of the older age group established under division (A) of this section shall apply.

(2) The maximum number of toddlers or preschool-age children per child care staff member in a room where children are napping shall be twice the maximum number of children per child-care staff member established under division (A) of this section if all the following criteria are met:

(a) At least one child care staff member is present in the room.

(b) Sufficient child care staff members are on the child care center premises to meet the maximum number of children per child care staff member requirements established under division (A) of this section.

(c) Naptime preparations are complete and all napping children are resting or sleeping on cots.

(d) The maximum number established under division (B)(2) of this section is in effect for no more than two hours during a twenty-four-hour day.

Last updated August 28, 2023 at 2:35 PM

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