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The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies tells us:
- The average monthly fee for child care for 2 children in Ohio is $1,030.
- The median mortgage payment in Ohio is $1,090 per month.
- The average annual cost of child care in Ohio for one pre-school child is $5,777 and $6,580 for an infant.
Child care is a large part of a family's budget. Finding top quality child care without breaking the bank is a top priority for many Ohio families. According to the U.S. Census, there are over 2 million families with children in Ohio .
Ways to Save on Child Care
There are a number of ways to save on child care:
- Flexible Spending Accounts – Some employers offer this type of account. Employees contribute to a special account on a pre-tax basis to cover dependent child care expenses. Flexible spending accounts were created by the IRS.
- On-Site Child Care Centers/Child Care Voucher Programs – Some employers offer on-site child care centers that are available to all employees. Some employers offer a child care voucher program that provides cash grants once a year for work-related child care expenses.
- Employer Discount Programs – Some employers have partnerships or offer discounts for certain child care providers.
- Flex Hours – Some employers offer flexible hours, job sharing or telecommuting so employees can juggle their schedules and reduce child care costs.
- Public School Programs – Some public school districts offer half-day pre-kindergarten programs for 4 year olds. These programs are usually free and can reduce child care needs from a full day to a half day.
Government Programs
The State of Ohio and the U.S. Department of Defense offer child care assistance programs.
- Ohio Subsidized Child Care Program – Ohio parents who are working or are enrolled in school can apply for help to pay for their child care in the county where they live by contacting the county department of Job and Family Services. Parents are required to pay for part of their child care. The amount parents pay is based on their income, family size and the number of children in child care.
- Operation Military Child Care – Offered by the U.S. Department of Defense to support the “temporary child care needs of military parents who are activated or deployed.”
- Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCIYN) – Offered by the U.S. Department of Defense to support military families “with the cost of high-quality child care outside of military installations.”
- Severely Injured Service Members – Offered by the U.S. Department of Defense to provide “families of severely injured service members with assistance to find and pay for safe, licensed child care services for a period of six months during their recuperation.”
For More Information
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services – www.jfs.ohio.gov or call 614-466-1213.
Department of Defense – www.militaryonesource.com or call 1-800-342-9647.
National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies – www.naccrra.org or call 703-341-4100.
Child Care Aware – www.childcareaware.org or call 1-800-424-2246.
Children's Defense Fund – www.childrensdefense.org or call (216)298-4480 or (614) 221-2244.
For more information, please visit www.ohiotreasurer.gov or call us at 1-800-228-1102. |
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