Transferring Your Foster Care License to Kids Count Too

Yes! Ohio law allows foster parents to transfer their license from one private agency (called the "recommending agency") to another. Kids Count Too is a licensed private child placing agency (PCPA) in Ohio and can serve as your new recommending agency. The transfer process is governed by Ohio Administrative Code Rule 5180:2-5-31.

Not from scratch. Your existing certification remains valid and carries over to Kids Count Too. Your current certification period stays in effect you do not lose your time already served. However, Kids Count Too is required by state law to conduct a transfer assessment, which includes a home visit, household interviews, new references, a new background check, and a new safety audit. Think of it as a fresh introduction rather than starting over.

Exception: If you are upgrading the type of foster care you provide (for example, moving from traditional foster care to treatment foster care), a new two-year certification period will begin on the date of transfer due to increased training requirements.

Simply contact Kids Count Too to express your interest. We'll schedule a conversation to learn about your experience and goals. From there, we handle the formal steps — including reaching out to your current agency — so you don't have to navigate the paperwork alone.

Your current agency is required by law to release your records once you sign a Release of Information form. They do not have the ability to block or prevent your transfer. However, they are required to inform Kids Count Too of any important information about your record, including any outstanding investigations or corrective action plans.

No. Ohio Administrative Code is clear that no agency is required to accept a transfer. Kids Count Too will evaluate your full record and conduct a complete transfer assessment before making a decision. If we decide not to proceed, we will notify you in writing within 5 business days. Please note: under Ohio law, the denial of a transfer does not create a right to appeal.

Children in your home are not automatically moved. During the transfer assessment, Kids Count Too will identify any children in your home and contact their custodial agency (the agency that holds legal custody). Any decisions about placements involve those agencies and are made with the best interests of the children at the center.

Important: A Private Noncustodial Agency (PNA) cannot unilaterally move foster children solely because a foster family wants to transfer to another agency. While the PNA holds the foster family's license, the ultimate legal authority regarding the placement and movement of children belongs to the public custodial agency such as the county Public Children Services Agency (PCSA). A PNA cannot remove children from your home simply out of retaliation or convenience because you submitted a transfer request.

Once Kids Count Too formally submits a transfer request, your current agency will be notified. Ohio Administrative Code requires Kids Count Too (as the receiving agency) to contact your current agency as part of the transfer assessment including speaking with agency staff about the reasons for the transfer. We recommend being open with your current agency about your plans, though the decision to transfer is entirely yours.

Your current agency is required to share your complete foster care record, which typically includes:

• Your original home study and any updates
• Training completion records
• All placement records and histories
• Licensing inspection reports and safety audit results
• Any exit interviews or removal summaries
• Any complaints, rule noncompliance investigations, or corrective action plans

Your current agency may charge Kids Count Too a reasonable copying fee for these records. This cost is not passed on to you.

Kids Count Too's assessor will:

• Review all records received from your current agency
• Contact your current agency staff and speak with you about the reasons for the transfer
• Schedule at least one in-home visit and conduct face-to-face interviews with all household members (age- and development-appropriate)
• Collect three new personal references from individuals unrelated to you who do not live in your home
• Gather references from your adult children (if applicable)
• Run a new criminal records check for all household members subject to background checks - results must be received and approved before the transfer is finalized
• Complete a new safety audit of your home using Ohio's DCY 01348 form

The clock starts as soon as you sign a Release of Information form. Once you sign the Release of Information form, your current agency is required by law to provide your complete records to Kids Count Too within fifteen (15) working days of receiving that signed form. This legal deadline helps keep the process moving and prevents unnecessary delays.

Once we have your records in hand, Ohio Administrative Code sets a target timeline for the transfer assessment, though the exact length can vary depending on scheduling, reference checks, and background-check processing. If the assessment cannot be completed within the standard timeframe, the assessor is required to document the reason. Once a decision is made, you and your current agency will receive written notification within 5 business days. In general, families should expect the overall process to take several weeks from the time the formal request is submitted.

Absolutely not. Ohio Administrative Code explicitly prohibits agencies from soliciting or accepting transfers for the purpose of placing families based on race, color, or national origin. All transfer decisions by Kids Count Too are based solely on your record, assessment findings, and our capacity to support your family well.

Once Kids Count Too approves the transfer:

• The transfer is officially submitted to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) through Ohio's child welfare information system (Ohio CCWIS) or via the completed DCY 01334 form with all required signatures.
• Your certification is now with Kids Count Too, effective from the date of transfer.
• Your full record from your previous agency is incorporated into our foster care provider record.
• Within 30 days of the transfer being processed by DCY, Kids Count Too will provide you with a full orientation covering our policies, procedures, and the support we offer our foster families.

Ohio law does allow foster care licenses to be shared between agencies - a practice sometimes called "sharing" a foster home. However, Kids Count Too does not participate in home sharing arrangements. When you transfer your license to Kids Count Too, we will serve as your sole recommending agency. If you have questions about what this means for any current placements or agency relationships, please reach out to us directly and we'll be happy to walk you through the details.

No. If you are being considered as an adoptive parent, your recommending agency (Kids Count Too, after transfer) is required by Ohio law to release a copy of your home study to an adoption agency upon receipt of a signed release of information form from you.

We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to us directly and a member of our team will walk you through everything.