Below are explanations to the most common questions asked by Family Child Care providers. Also, be sure to review the ODJFS Provider Guidance Letters.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How Do I complete a Child Care Connection?

In order for a provider to accept a new child into care, the provider must report a “child care connection” for the provider to be authorized to care for the child.

Reporting a connection is easy, simply decide who will report the connection – the provider or the caretaker (parent) – collect the necessary information and fill out this form.

The TAP system contains all authorizations for children connected to each provider.

Please Note: Providers and/or caretakers (parents) must report connections no later than the first day of care. HCJFS will no longer back-date authorization 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.

A child that was previously in my care is no longer attending. Do I need to report it?

Children no longer in care will continue to appear on the provider web for a yet undetermined amount of time. Providers must only report terminations for children with active, future end-dated authorizations.

When do I record days children are absent?

A day is recognized as the 24-hour period spanning from 12 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. If a child is authorized and in attendance at any time during the period of 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. then an absent day cannot be recorded for that day.

The provider may bill for an absent day when the child was authorized and scheduled to be in attendance but was not in attendance any time from 12 a.m. through 11:59 p.m., as long as the child has a remaining absent day within the six month period.

A provider may be paid for absent days for which a child is eligible during each six-month period that care is provided.

Providers must record absent days using the TAP system. The provider shall report any absent days regardless of the effect on payment. The value of an absent day is based on authorization:

  1. For a full-time or full-time plus authorization, the value of an absent day is eight hours
  2. For a part-time authorization, the value of an absent day is five hours
  3. For an hourly authorization, the value of an absent day is five hours

A child in my care has a school holiday, can he/she be approved for additional hours?

The county is no longer able to add “additional hours” for changing needs around school holidays. A child must be authorized for the care needed. In some cases no change is required as the “extra” hours being used for a school holiday still fall within the authorization category and will be covered. However, if a child is changing providers or changing the category of authorization the caretaker (parent) or provider must report the need for an authorization change.