Important Information from the State of NJ

New Jersey Extends Enrollment-Based Child Care Subsidy Payments Through June 2023

On October 26, the NJ Division of Family Development announced the extension of enrollment-based child care subsidy payments through June 2023.   You will receive payments based on enrollment for children enrolled in the State’s Child Care Assistance Program through that time.  As a reminder, providers should continue to utilize the payment portal (EPPIC) and record absences of children receiving funds through the Child Care Assistance Program.  Should you have any questions, please call our Fiscal Unit at 609/989-9010 or e-mail the NJ Division of Family Development/Office of Child Care at . 

Co-Payments for Child Care to Resume August 1, 2024

If you are a family receiving child care assistance through New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, federal law requires families 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.

All Programs Accepting State Child Care Reimbursement Funds Must Comply with CCDBG Regulations

New Jersey must comply with federal Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) regulations.  The federal Child Care Development Block Grant Reauthorization (CCDBG) Act of 2014 had two overall goals: give working parents access to affordable, easy to get child care, and improve the health, safety and quality of child care and early learning programs through more rigorous requirements.

In New Jersey, all child care and early learning programs that accept, or wish to accept, child care subsidies must comply with the requirements set forth by CCDBG.  On April 1, 2023, the State announced new training requirements for all child care programs.  Click here to read the letter from the Division of Family Development.

These requirements, among other things, clearly define who must be fingerprinted, what kinds of child care programs must be inspected and monitored, and requires that all child care programs complete health and safety training. In addition, specific information about the status of a child care program’s  and whether any complaints have been filed are made public online.

The Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS/DFD) is committed to increasing access to high-quality programs across the state. Providers who are interested in participating in the Child Care Assistance Program are required to be licensed, regulated, registered or approved, meet DHS/DFD requirements to qualify for funding and are required to comply with the requirements under the federal law.  For more information, click here.

New Jersey Increases Rates for Grow NJ Kids-Rated Family Child Care Providers

New Jersey increased its child care reimbursement rate for State Registered family child care providers who are Grow NJ Kids-rated.  Please see the new Rate Chart, which took effect on March 1, 2024.  

State Instruction on Prioritizing Children with Special Needs

Go to Subsidy and Children with Special Needs