E-Child Care FAQs for Families

e-Child Care (ECC) is the way of reporting child care attendance and absences.  Parents or their designees record attendance by using either a telephone (Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or a card-reading machine called a Point of Service (POS) device at the child care location.  Payment is dispersed based on the attendance that is recorded.

Parents swipe daily using the Point of Service device at the child care program or call into the child-care provider’s Interactive Voice Response system and do the check-in and -out for child care. The payment will be dispersed based on the attendance that is recorded.

Your Families First card will be mailed to you along with an information sheet to create a PIN.  Families can get up to two additional cards for people who they authorize to drop off or pick up their children from child care. Additional cards can be obtained by contacting your CCR&R.

Parents who already have a Families First card may be able to use the existing card to access child care benefits.  You should contact the CCR&R to link your existing cards.

Use any of these options:

• You can report absences from any phone, anywhere;
• You can use a phone for absence reporting, even if your provider uses a POS device;
• You can report absences on the POS device at your location of care once your child has returned to care during the back-swipe period (today, plus the previous 13 days).

Yes. The State will only pay a provider for care that was recorded in the ECC system.

You can catch up on missing days by using the “back swipe” feature, which allows for “Previous Check-In” and “Previous Check-Out” transactions.

The back-swipe period is the time period that includes the current day of service plus the previous 13 days.  This is the period when all transactions, including check-ins, check-outs, voids, sick and absences must be recorded for payment to be made; however, if you fail to utilize the ECC system, you may be responsible for paying your provider for attendance not recorded.  It is important that you remain current with your attendance.

No. Giving your card to your child care provider is a misuse of the card.  It can result in termination from the program!

Payments are for a two-week pay cycle and are deposited on the date specified in the payment schedule.  Current ECC payment dates are posted on the ECC provider web portal: www.echildcarenj.org

Providers are paid two “absent days” in a two-week period of service. The child must be in attendance 80 percent of the time for the absent days to be paid. Sick days, however, will be paid for a total of five days in a two-week period and should be reported by the parent through the ECC System.

Providers are given 22 days annually that they can use for closures. Providers are advised to reserve some days for unexpected closures in the event of an emergency or inclement weather. Closure days can only be paid at a maximum of five days in one payment cycle in the Electronic Payment Processing Information Control (EPPIC) system.  Providers must submit their scheduled closure calendar in advance to your CCR&R; they should report any emergency closures immediately.

The provider portal helps providers to see payments made. Providers can check transactions and agreements. For training on how to navigate the portal, Child Care Connection has an electronic child care specialist who can train providers individually. Providers are encouraged to check their portal regularly to ensure that families are checking in and out correctly.