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.

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

We are thrilled to announce that we have scheduled our next Child Development Associate (CDA) Training Series!

Share our flyer with anyone who might be interested, and visit our CDA Virtual Classroom for more information. We hope to see you in June!

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.

Find out what’s in the December edition by clicking here! 

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!