2026 NJ Child Care Market Rate Survey

Your participation in this survey is critical for the State of New Jersey to help inform policy recommendations for setting provider payment rates for the Child Care Assistance Program. 

 Select your provider type to participate in the survey (to ensure a seamless user experience, please clear your browser history before you begin the survey):

• Licensed Child Care Center (Complete a separate survey for each site location.)
• Family Child Care Provider (Select English or Spanish from the menu in the top right corner before starting the survey. (Seleccione inglés o español en el menú de la esquina superior derecha antes de comenzar la encuesta.)

For more information, review the e-mail you received from your Child Care Resource & Referral agency or visit the ChildCareNJ.gov Reports and Statistics page. If you have any questions, please e-mail .

Thank you,

NJ Department of Human Services/Division of Family Development   

 

 

  

 

Click here to see the latest newsletter from our Quality Team, the October/November 2026 edition! 

Effective April 8, 2026, the NJ Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is once again open to all new applicants.  Any family will be able to apply for CCAP through MyNJHelps.  A family will not have to register first to request an application.  The MyNJHelps CCAP application will be available to all families at www.ChildCareNJ.gov.  For all the details, including how to apply, click here to be redirected to our NJ Child Care Assistance Program page.

If you are a family receiving child care assistance through New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, federal law requires you to share in the cost of child care using a sliding fee scale (meaning cost is adjusted depending on your income). This fee is known as copayment or copay. Please note that your child care provider will begin collecting copayments from you starting August 1, 2024.

Copayments had been temporarily suspended since the onset of, and recovery from, the COVID-19 pandemic due to the availability of additional federal funding. That funding is no longer available, and federal law requires families receiving child care assistance to share in the cost of child care by making copayments, with limited exceptions.

Child Care Connection has updated its Mercer County Quick Facts: Children, Families, and Child Care.  For a copy, Click Here.

Child Care Connection has added a job bank to our website for Mercer County-based child care centers seeking employees. Please contact if you would like to post a job opening.  To look at the posted job openings, Click Here.

Child Care Connection has just posted its ECC newsletter for providers.  Click here to view it!

The State is now paying a quality-based differential rate to family child care providers that have a Grow NJ Kids Quality Rating level of 3, 4, or 5 stars!  Click here for more information.

You are in a unique role to help prevent childhood obesity. Children spend many hours in early care and education programs, as well as family child care. Help kids build good habits by ensuring your program is a healthy environment for children to learn.  We are offering a 6-module virtual training series that promotes healthy habits today for a healthier tomorrow!  Each session will share the benefits of one of five healthy goals as well as provide an array of strategies and easy access resources to support your ongoing efforts towards building that goal!

Join us for one or both of The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) workplace health and safety trainings we are hosting online!