Add or Change Your Child Care Provider
** This form is for Hamilton County residents only. If the caretaker resides in another county (Butler, Clermont, Warren), they must contact their county of residence. **
Each time a caretaker (parent) wants to take their child to a new or additional provider a “Child Care Connection” must be completed so the provider can be authorized or “connected” to the child. Without this connection, a child will not be authorized to receive care from the provider and the provider cannot be reimbursed for the care provided.
If you receive publicly-funded child care from Hamilton County, please click REPORT A CHILD CARE CONNECTION below and complete the form to report a new provider caring for your child. The form can also be used to report a terminated relationship between a child and a provider. Once submitted, please allow 5 business days for your child’s authorization to show in TAP with your new provider. Connections submitted in the middle of a service week will not begin until the next service week. It is important to submit connections prior to the start of the service week to ensure payment when care begins.
Caretakers may only request and use one provider, per child, per service week, unless the caretaker verifies a state defined exemption. Requests for more than one provider per child per service week will be reviewed and may be denied. This form can only be used to report a connection with a child that resides in Hamilton County.
** It is critical to provide a case number or social security number for all connections. If zeroes are entered, the connection may not be considered valid, and the start date cannot be guaranteed. All mandatory fields indicated with a red asterisk must be completed.**
Report A Child Care Connection
If you are still having trouble deciding if you need to report a connection, or understanding what a connection is, the following information may be helpful.
When do I need to report a child care connection?
Providers or caretakers(parents) should report child care connections in advance, but no later than the first day of care. HCJFS cannot back-date authorizations for care. If HCJFS is not informed of the child care connection prior to the first day of care, the authorization will begin on the day the child care connection was reported.
There are two circumstances when the provider or caretaker (parent) is required to report a child care connection.
1. The caretaker (parent) selects a provider for the first time
Once the caretaker (parent) is approved for child care services, he or she will need to select a day care provider for his or her child if they have not already done so. As soon as the caretaker (parent) reaches an agreement with the selected provider for care, either the provider or the caretaker (parent) MUST report it.
2. If a caretaker (parent) decides to change providers
After a child has begun receiving care, the caretaker (parent) may decide that he or she wants to change to a new provider. At that point, the new provider or caretaker (parent) must report a child care connection.
Caretakers (parents) changing providers may only switch to the new provider at the beginning of the service week (Sunday). All changes in providers will begin on Sunday.
Should the provider or caretaker (parent) report the connection?
Either the caretaker (parent) or provider can report the connection, but not both.
Caretakers (parents) and providers should first decide who will report the child care connection and then ensure the reporting party has all the relevant information including the:
- Child’s name
- Parent’s name
- Provider’s name
- License number or Provider ID
- Category of care to be provided (hourly, part-time, full-time or full-time plus)
- Caretaker’s (parent’s) case number or the child’s social security number
- Child’s first day at the new provider
Incomplete or inaccurate information could result in a processing delay or denial of the request.
