How to File a Child Care Power of Attorney (Caretaker Authorization Affidavit) - Hamilton County Juvenile Court
When a parent is incarcerated or otherwise unable to handle day-to-day decisions, families often turn to a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (also called a Child Care Power of Attorney) so a grandparent can manage school enrollment, medical care, and other practical needs. Here's a clear, Hamilton County Juvenile Court-focused walkthrough for completing, notarizing, and filing the affidavit, plus what happens when it ends.
This paperwork lets a child's caregiver handle real-life tasks when a parent can't be there to sign forms, talk to providers, or make routine arrangements. In many families, the grandparent already doing the day-to-day caretaking uses the affidavit to show schools, doctors, and other organizations that they have legal authority to act on the child's behalf.
Fill out the packet in black or blue ink, and either type the information or print it neatly. This sounds minor, but hard-to-read writing or forms that don't meet the court's basic requirements can cause delays.
Tip: Answer every question completely and accurately. Skipped blanks or partial answers can create problems later when a school, provider, or the court relies on what you filed.
Before you file anything, each affidavit must be signed and notarized by an Ohio notary public. Plan for this step early, especially if a parent's signature is needed and coordinating signatures is already difficult.
Good to know: The Hamilton County Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office has notaries available for your convenience.
Once the affidavit is executed (signed and notarized), you need to file it in the appropriate court within 5 days. That deadline is the main timing rule here. Waiting too long can put your paperwork out of compliance with the packet instructions.
- ✓ File by mailing or bringing the documents to: Hamilton County Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office, 800 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202-1332
- ✓ There is no filing fee and no court date for this filing
Questions about filing? Call a Deputy Clerk at 513-946-9431.
The affidavit doesn't last forever. It terminates if the child stops living with the grandparent who signed the form. A parent, guardian, or custodian can also terminate it by negating, reversing, or disapproving an action or decision the grandparent made under the affidavit. To do this, they must deliver written notice to both the grandparent and the person who relied on the grandparent's action or decision.
The affidavit also ends if a court order terminates it, if the child dies, or if the grandparent who executed the affidavit dies.
- Notify the major places that relied on the affidavit, in writing. This includes any schools, health care providers, and health insurance coverage providers to which you have given the affidavit.
- Notify any other person or entity that would reasonably keep relying on it. If there is an ongoing relationship with you or the child, and they would rely on the affidavit unless told it ended, send a written notice.
- Do it within one week of the child stopping living with you. The packet requires these notifications to be made not later than one week after the child stops living with the caregiver.
Warning: Do not falsify the affidavit. The packet states falsification is a crime under Ohio Revised Code 2921.13, punishable by up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a $1,000 fine.
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