Methodology

This page explains how Ohio Parent Hub sources daycare data, applies quality controls, and publishes searchable listings for families across Ohio.

Last updated: March 31, 2026

Official sourcePrivacy policyContact
8,076
Listings
829
Cities
88
Counties

1) Primary data source

Ohio Parent Hub listing data is sourced from the Ohio child care search system:
https://childcaresearch.ohio.gov/

We publish state-sourced licensing and quality fields (including SUTQ) for easier discovery, but the source system remains the official record.

2) Data fields tracked

Each listing in the dataset includes the following state-sourced fields:

  • • Program number, program name, and program type
  • • Street address, city, state, ZIP code, and county
  • • Phone number and email address
  • • SUTQ (Step Up To Quality) rating
  • • License begin and end dates
  • • Up to three administrator names
  • • PFCC (Publicly Funded Child Care) agreement status
  • • Geocoded latitude and longitude coordinates

The current dataset covers 8,076 licensed programs across 829 cities and 88 counties statewide.

3) Program types covered

Ohio Parent Hub indexes all licensed program types published by the state:

  • • Licensed Child Care Centers
  • • Licensed Type A Family Child Care Homes (up to 12 children)
  • • Licensed Type B Family Child Care Homes (up to 6 children)
  • • Licensed School-Based Preschools
  • • Licensed School-Age Child Care
  • • Registered Day Camps / Approved Day Camps
  • • Certified In-Home Aides

4) Processing pipeline

  • • Source records are transformed into a structured listing dataset used by the site.
  • • Core fields (name, location, program attributes, SUTQ, and related metadata) are standardized for consistent rendering.
  • • Derived pages are generated for state, county, city, and individual listing routes.
  • • Search and filtering use normalized values to improve match quality across variants.

5) City normalization safeguards

City normalization is intentionally conservative to reduce accidental merges of distinct places.

  • • Alias merges are applied only from approved mappings in the maintained alias list.
  • • Potentially unsafe or ambiguous matches are blocked and reviewed manually.
  • • Suggestions from reporting workflows are treated as review input, not auto-applied truth.
  • • Slug and naming normalization are used to reduce typo/format fragmentation while preserving real city distinctions.

6) Maps and geocoding

Map views are built from listing coordinates when available. User-entered location searches are geocoded through our geocoding endpoint and resolved by OpenStreetMap Nominatim.

For service disclosures and usage details, see our Privacy policy.

7) Updates and corrections

Dataset refreshes are performed periodically. Because source systems can change over time, there may be temporary lag between an official update and what appears on this site.

Ohio Parent Hub can review reported display issues and prioritize refreshes, but official licensing and SUTQ corrections must be made in the source system first.

8) Limitations

  • • Ohio Parent Hub is an informational directory and not a licensing authority.
  • • Families should verify final details directly with providers and official state records.
  • • Route grouping and normalization improve discoverability, but do not replace official determinations.

Questions about methodology can be sent via the Contact page.