Skip Navigation

Ohio

Last Updated: December 20, 2024

Working families in Ohio need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children. 

Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Ohio. But too many working families in Ohio are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Ohio economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue. 

Facts about Ohio
1

There are 812K children ages 5 and under in Ohio – 67% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.

2

The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Ohio is more than $12,000.

3

The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 9% of eligible families in Ohio. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)

4

On average, child care providers in Ohio earn just $27,960 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.

5

Ohio’s economy loses $3.9M annually due to child care challenges.

oHIo: In The Headlines

Lack of child care limits the workforce, state lawmakers say, though solutions remain elusive

Cleveland.com | nOVEMBER 7, 2024

The availability of child care for Ohio parents to work outside the home is one of the largest issues looming in the General Assembly.

Managing child care costs: Rising prices leave families with tough decisions

WXIX | November 14, 2024

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the last few years, the cost of child care has nearly doubled the rate of overall inflation.

Coalition, including Ohio center, pushes new administration for more child care support

Ohio Capital Journal | DecEMBER 20, 2024

The letter asks the new administration to “continue to support the fundamental needs of America’s children, families, employers and child care providers by prioritizing child care and early learning.”

Ohio Resources & News

Resource

2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets

July 16, 2024

FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …

Resource

2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets

May 29, 2024

First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …

News

New Polling on Child Care and the 2024 Election

May 16, 2024

A new poll conducted on behalf of First Five Years Fund by the bipartisan research team of New Bridge Strategies (R) and Hart Research (D) found that, in this election …

Resource

New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements

February 22, 2024

Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …

Resource

Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022

February 8, 2024

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …

Resource

How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways

December 15, 2023

The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …

Resource

How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Financing

December 8, 2023

The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve financing in their Preschool Development Grant Birth through …

News

House Members Introduce Bill to Help Child Care Providers Supply Nutritious Meals to Children

October 6, 2023

Earlier this month, Representatives Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)  introduced H.R. 5569, The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act. The bill makes important updates to the Child and Adult …

Resource

FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

Resource

The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Voter Support For Child Care Funding

July 16, 2023

In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining voter attitudes toward the issue of child care and early childhood education …

Resource

The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Ohio Voter Support For Child Care Funding

July 14, 2023

In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining Ohio voters’ attitudes toward the issue of child care and early childhood …

Resource

New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program 

May 11, 2023

New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …

Resource

How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State

May 9, 2023

The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …

Resource

Analysis: Majority of Governors Highlight Child Care As Key to Workforce Growth

February 13, 2023

Analysis of 2023 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found one issue in particular cut across state and party lines: the importance of fixing child …

Resource

FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets

August 2, 2022

Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …

Resource

Ohio — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 29, 2022

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State

June 22, 2022

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …

Resource

2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding

August 3, 2021

FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …

Resource

Ohio — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2021

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes

September 16, 2020

This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …

Resource

Ohio: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2020

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States

September 16, 2019

On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state.  As in previous years, CAP’s …

Resource

See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care

June 14, 2019

Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …

Resource

Ohio: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants

January 4, 2019

Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …

Resource

Strengthening the Quality of Care Nationwide with Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships

October 11, 2018

Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grants aim to incorporate the strengths of Early Head Start into other child care opportunities in order to expand access to high-quality …

Stay Updated

Receive monthly updates on the latest news, policy, and actions to advance federal investment in children and their families.