Financial Assistance

Many families’ child care concerns include affordability.  Child Care Connection strives to address this area through its full range of services.  The agency assists parents financially through participation in several State-sponsored programs that help eligible families with the cost of child care for their children.

The following financial assistance programs are available to residents of the city of Trenton or Mercer County (for more specific information, click program link):

New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) – Families may be eligible for financial assistance with the cost of child care through the New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).  Eligibility is determined by family size, employment and/or education hours, and income.

Dedicated Voucher Programs – The State of New Jersey has provided a limited number of dedicated voucher slots to approximately 15 child care centers. Children in the dedicated voucher slots must meet the same eligibility criteria as those on CCAP. 

Mercer County Voucher Program – The Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program is a County-funded program that provides child care subsidy to moderate-income families that are over the income eligibility limit for CCAP. 

DOE Pre-K Wrap-Around Program – Through a contract with the NJ Dept. of Education (DOE), Trenton’s Public Schools now provide pre-K classes for children who turn three by September 30. This work is subcontracted to local child care centers. The pre-K school day is 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and is available to age-eligible resident children regardless of family income; the Wrap-Around program pays for the extended care — before and after the school day — and is subject to income eligibility.  Please be advised that not all preschools offer a wrap-around program. 

Head Start – The federal Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide free, comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school.

*Child care subsidy reimbursement rates for State programs vary by age of child and the type of child care program selected. A higher rate of reimbursement is paid to child care centers serving children age birth to five that are Grow NJ Kids-rated. For more information, including the rate chart for licensed child care programs, use this link to go to the New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) information page (one on that page, see Forms section). Please note that when a parent is assessed a co-pay, that amount is included as part of the reimbursement rate listed on the rate chart.