Foster parenting in Ohio is a deeply rewarding experience. Like all parents, foster parents occasionally need time away from everyday duties. In these cases, respite foster care, or substitute care, can be a huge help.
In Ohio, substitute support is a resource that provides short-term, temporary care for children in foster care. This gives caregivers relief while ensuring stability and safety for the child.
With nearly 15,000 Ohio children in foster care statewide, as of late 2022, structured supports like respite play a crucial role in helping families stay strong and placements remain steady.
Ohio law defines respite as short-term relief of child-caring duties that is planned or due to emergency. At its heart, it’s a safeguard and a way to protect placement stability.
Substitute care gives Ohio foster parents and their families the breathing room they need to continue caring for children in foster care long-term. For one family, it might mean a weekend away to attend a function. For another, it may be a few days during an unexpected hospitalization.
Whatever the reason, the goal of substitute care is to maintain stable placements where children in foster care feel secure.
Only those who meet qualifications can step in and provide substitute care. Ohio requires that every organization, whether related to Public Children Services or private, maintain a written substitute policy.
Approved providers may include:
This approach ensures children in foster care remain in safe, capable hands, even when their primary foster parents take a short break.
Substitute care is designed to be temporary. Under Ohio law, a provider may not care for a child for more than two consecutive weeks unless they are certified as a specialized foster caregiver.
This rule draws a clear line between substitute care and foster care placement. Every use of substitute care must follow the organization’s written policy, and the process differs depending on the level of care.
Organizations distinguish between planned substitute care, which is scheduled in advance for vacations or personal needs, and crisis substitute care, which may be arranged under more urgent conditions. In both cases, documentation ensures the child’s record accurately reflects their care.
Before each substitute stay, the organization must provide the caregiver with:
Organizations must also document that this information was given in the child’s case record. Even for a short-term stay, substitute caregivers need these tools to keep children in foster care safe and supported.
Substitute caregivers in Ohio must meet the state’s criteria and certification standards, updated in 2025:
Organizations create individualized plans for each caregiver, covering trauma, safety, and child development. Even short-term providers need this foundation to give effective care.
Ohio operates under a state-supervised, county-administered system. This means foster care stipends in Ohio vary.
Because of this variation, foster parents should always ask their county or organization about approved substitute rates and payment processes.
Ohio also supports kinship caregivers, who often step in when children cannot remain with their parents. Through the Kinship Support Program (KSP), eligible kin caregivers receive $12.40 per day per child (as of January 1, 2025).
While not technically substitute care, this funding can help relatives cover child care costs or plan short breaks.
Every foster family’s situation is different, and it helps to know what support is available.
Whether you’re curious about how respite is approved, how long it can last, or how payments work in your Ohio county, you can get answers specific to your needs. Talk to a foster care expert for guidance on next steps and how to prepare for a smooth substitute stay.
You don’t have to navigate foster parenting alone. Support is here to help you and the children in your care thrive.