Ohio Daycare Inspection Checklist
By Jayesh Parayali, Founder, CareCam · 15+ years building daycare camera systems · checked against state sources 2026-10-19
What the Ohio Department of Children and Youth looks at when it inspects a licensed child care center, written as a walk-through you can do the day before. Ohio law requires the Department of Children and Youth to inspect each licensed child care center at least once during every twelve-month period of operation, and inspections may be unannounced. The department must also investigate complaints and must inspect when a complaint alleges a child was harmed or put at substantial risk of harm.
Ohio at a glance
- Licensing agency
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth
- Inspections
- Ohio law requires the Department of Children and Youth to inspect each licensed child care center at least once during every twelve-month period of operation, and inspections may be unannounced. The department must also investigate complaints and must inspect when a complaint alleges a child was harmed or put at substantial risk of harm. Source
- Public inspection reports
- State lookup
Ratios the inspector counts against
| Age group | Staff : children | Max group |
|---|---|---|
| Young infants (birth to less than 12 months) | 1:5 | 12 |
| Older infants (at least 12 months and less than 18 months) | 1:6 | 12 |
| Young toddlers (at least 18 months and less than 2 1/2 years) | 1:7 | 14 |
| Older toddlers (at least 2 1/2 years and less than 3 years) | 1:8 | 16 |
| Young preschoolers (at least 3 years and less than 4 years) | 1:12 | 24 |
| Older preschoolers (at least 4 years and not enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten) | 1:14 | 28 |
| Young schoolagers (enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or above and less than 11 years) | 1:18 | 36 |
| Older schoolagers (at least 11 years and less than 15 years) | 1:20 | 40 |
Need the staffing number for the children in the building right now? Use the calculator on the Ohio daycare ratios page.
The walk-through
Ohio · Ohio Department of Children and Youth 0 of 48 checked
Posted where parents and the licensor can see them
The first thing a licensor does is look at the walls by the entrance. Everything here should be visible without asking.
Children's files
The licensor pulls a sample of files. One missing immunization record is the most common citation in most states.
Staff files
Every adult who counts toward the ratio needs a complete file. Volunteers and substitutes too.
Health and sanitation
Walk every room the way the licensor does: sinks, changing tables, kitchen, then the medicine cabinet.
Building, fire and outdoor safety
Most building citations are small and fixable in an hour. Check them the week before and the morning of.
Supervision, ratios and the daily routine
Ratios are checked at the moment the licensor walks into each room, which is why the arrival and the last hour matter most.
The question that follows a complaint
An inspection checks the room at one moment. A complaint asks what the room looked like at a different one. CareCam runs on the cameras a center already has, keeps the recording on your own recorder, and gives parents a live, video-only view of their own child's room during the hours you set, so most of those questions never get asked.
Ohio inspection FAQ
How often are daycare centers inspected in Ohio?
Where can I find a Ohio daycare's inspection reports?
What ratios does a Ohio inspector check?
Do I have to tell parents about cameras in Ohio?
See how CareCam fits your center
Run a Ohio center? See if your cameras can do double duty
Tell us your camera brand and we'll confirm whether the cameras you already have can give parents a secure, live, video-only view of their own child's room. We reply within one business day.