CREATING FUTURES FREE OF LEAD POISONING

In partnership with Starting Point, the Lead Safe Child Care Program is strengthening providers, supporting families, and driving systemic change across Cleveland through the creation of healthier learning environments.

All participants receive access to vetted Lead Safe Workers and grant funding to cover lead remediation work, along with step-by-step support from the team at Starting Point in partnership with the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition.

 

THE PROGRESS IS REAL

So much more than a grant program, the Lead Safe Child Care Program is improving childhood health rates and early learning quality.

In the pilot phase, the program improved safety for more than 340 children in nearly two dozen Cleveland-based early education centers, establishing a proven solution trusted by parents and providers alike to overcome our city’s lead poisoning epidemic by advancing health, education, and equity. 

THE WORK CONTINUES

What began as a pilot is now a proven, scalable solution for reducing Cleveland’s childhood lead exposure rates — one that strengthens providers, supports families, and improves early learning outcomes.

The Lead Safe Child Care Program isn’t only continuing, it’s growing. With dozens of new sites entering the process each year, we’re building a citywide model for safe, healthy early learning.

Together, we’re closing gaps in health, education, and opportunity by ensuring every Cleveland child can learn in a Lead Safe environment.
 

PROGRAM STEPS

Here’s what participants can expect during each of the Lead Safe Child Care Program’s five (5) core steps:
 

Step 1

PROGRAM APPLICATION

Step 2

SITE ASSESSMENT

  • A certified Lead Risk Assessor will inspect each child care site for lead hazards, including deteriorating lead-based paint.
  • Paint samples, such as chips and dust, may be collected for laboratory testing.
  • Assessments may be scheduled during or outside of operating hours.
     
Step 3

LEAD REMEDIATION

  • Vetted Lead Safe Workers will remediate all lead hazards using EPA-certified Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) and abatement practices.
  • Eligible repairs may include renovating or replacing windows, doors, drawers, cabinets, and ground surfaces such as carpeting and vinyl flooring.
  • Starting Point will manage the entire construction process, including hiring all Lead Safe Workers.

     
Step 4

CLEARANCE EXAM

  • Once remediation work is complete, each site must pass a Lead Clearance Exam performed by a certified Lead Clearance Technician.
  • During the Exam, Technicians will conduct a visual inspection, take photos, and collect dust samples.
  • To pass a Lead Clearance Exam, sites must be free of lead hazards, including dust, debris, and deteriorating paint, as confirmed by a dust wipe analysis.
     
Step 5

ONGOING SUPPORT

  • Starting Point's early education specialists and family and community engagement team are available to support child care providers before, during, and after the Program.
  • Starting Point will refer providers who participate in the Program to residents in search of a Lead Safe place to care for their children.
  • To help keep child care sites Lead Safe post-remediation, providers will have access to no-cost training and educational resources via the Coalition.
     

Child Care Program FAQs

Lead is an environmental toxin that affects the brain, heart, bones, kidneys, and nervous system. Lead poses prenatal risks as well, such as miscarriage, malformations, reduced fetal growth, premature birth, stillbirth, and low birth weight. Even low levels of lead exposure can cause neurological damage and impact academic performance due to impaired memory and executive function, depression, anxiety, or hyperactivity.

Cleveland children under age 6 have elevated blood levels four times the national average. Because the effects of lead poisoning are irreversible, it is crucial to prevent childhood lead exposure before harm occurs by removing lead hazards. Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are by far the most common form of lead exposure for children in Cleveland.

Learn More About Sources of Lead Exposure

Learn More About Screening And Testing

  • A government issued ID from the applicant
  • Most recent 990 (non profit) or last two years of tax returns (for profit).
  • Property tax bill for property owners OR a signed lease agreement for renters
  • Written property owner consent and contact information for renters
  • Rental registration certificate (for rental properties)
  • Completed w-9
  • Building blueprints or floorplan if accessible

You are eligible to apply if you operate a child care program (day care, pre-school, etc.) in the City of Cleveland that serves children aged 0-5 in a facility (home, storefront, commercial, etc) that was built prior to 1978.

Eligible repairs include lead interim control improvements, such as remediation and clearance. Remediation practices that are included in this work include repairs such as paint stabilization, surface treatments to minimize friction or prevent impact, floor treatment and coverings, and window and door replacements. 

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) workers and/or Lead Abatement Workers will be hired by Starting Point to complete the lead safe work in these facilities. 

No, Starting Point will hire and manage contractors throughout this process.

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) work typically includes lead safe interim controls that include specialized cleaning, repairs, maintenance, painting, and temporary containment. Some examples of work that may be done based on a lead risk assessment include:

  • Window, door, and stair treatment: wet scraping peeling paint, paint stabilization, window and door replacement, replacing hinges, carpeting
  • Drawer and cabinet treatment: replacing cabinet doors or paint stripping, rubber bumper installation at hinge points, re-painting
  • Floors and other surface treatment: stabilizing paint on porches, decks, interior floors with abrasion resistant paint or polyurethane, carpeting or vinyl

Our goal in this process is to prevent this from happening at. We will explore solutions to this based on the typology of the facility. Some of the solutions include operating out of different spaces in the facility when feasible, completing the remediation on afternoons and weekends, or scheduling during a time the program is already scheduled to be closed. In the event these options are not feasible, we are prepared to offer stipends and/or temporary relocation costs and assistance to providers.

Yes. While the intent is to avoid the need for temporary relocation at all costs, there may be unique situations where this is necessary, in which Starting Point will offer support for relocation costs. 

Providers will have access to training through organizations such as the Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRA) that will increase their ability to identify lead hazards, understand mitigation, list support and resources available, identify impact on child learning development, and know what to share with parents. Throughout the pilot period, Starting Point will explore and add professional development opportunities to the program as they are identified. 

Scheduling for lead risk assessments will be on a case-by-case basis that will depend on the availability of staff and lead risk assessors. It is possible that lead assessments will be completed during operating hours. It is safe and within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service (ODJFS) compliance to perform assessments and inspections during child care operating hours. Lead risk assessments are mostly visual and may include paint sampling in which an assessor collects paint chips and/or dust samples to be sent to a lead testing lab.

PROGRAM INTEREST FORM

If you operate an early education facility in a Cleveland home or other space built before 1978 and are interested in participating in the Lead Safe Child Care Program, please submit an interest form.

Know the sources. Prevent Exposure. Let’s build a lead safe Cleveland.

Join the Coalition