New Jersey's most trusted child care resource.
Child Care Aware of New Jersey is open and working to support families statewide as families seek and obtain child care in order to return to work or remain employed.
New health and safety requirements are in place to promote the safety of those who work in child care and the families with children that are served. For the latest information, check out these resources from the NJ Division of Family Development.
NEW! Child Care Provider COVID-19 Stabilization Grants
Good news for NJ child care providers! The NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family (DFD) is making grants to help New Jersey licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes meet the increased costs of re-opening and remaining open due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The grants, which are available to providers that are open or will open by October 1, are intended to help with the added operational costs of meeting the new COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.
TO APPLY
Child Care Centers: Licensed child care centers can apply through NJCCIS, where eligible centers will see the Grants button in the Quicklinks section of their facilities page.
Registered Family Child Care Homes: Registered family child care providers should reach out to their local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency to apply. CCR&R staff will help you with the application and speed it along!
To learn more:
Grants range from $8,000 to $17,000 for licensed child care centers (grant amount is based on the center's licensed capacity) and $2,500 for registered family child providers. Funds can only be used to meet specific COVID related expenses. These grants are available to child care providers regardless of whether providers participate in the child care subsidy program.
No funds are available until an application has been submitted and approved. These grants are made available through federal Coronavirus Relief Funds, which can only be used for COVID-19 related purposes and must adhere to federal timelines. Receipts for allowable expenses must be received by December 18, 2020.
Dept. of Children and Families & Dept. of Human Services, Division of Family Development
Guidance for Child Care During COVID-19
New Jersey Department of Health
NJ Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development
Division of Unemployment Insurance
Tax Relief
Have questions about COVID-19?
Use the NJ COVID-19 Information Hub to find quick answers to questions such as
State announcements, services, and assistance are available through the COVID-19 hub. Try it!
Child Care Provider Resources
Podcasts from the Committee for Economic Development (CED), April 16, 2020
The are many new financing options available to support child care programs. However, it can be confusing to know which path might be the best for you. The podcasts below help every child care program understand the options available and key questions to consider.
Small Business Administration Help
Need Help Reviewing Business Options?
Helping Family Child Care to Thrive Through the Public Health Crisis and Beyond
In January 2020, there were 1,486 registered family child care providers in New Jersey. In May, Child Care Aware of New Jersey and the New Jersey Family Child Care Providers Association conducted a survey to better understand the family child care home landscape and providers' needs for re-opening.
COVID-19 Impact. Among the 1,014 family child care providers who responded to the survey, 346 closed due to the pandemic (218 responded in English and 128 responded in Spanish). Two-thirds of survey respondents indicated they have remained open and reported this was out of necessity - her own income and economic well-being, and families have been counting on her.
The number of registered family child care programs in New Jersey has been declining over the past decade. As the state looks to re-open businesses and services to jumpstart recovery, working parents will need access to child care. With parent anxiety high related to potential COVID-19 exposure, there could be a shift in parent preferences for the smaller child care settings offered in neighborhood family child care homes. Both open and temporarily closed family child care providers will need meaningful support to welcome children and keep everyone (including themselves) healthy and well.
New Jersey Family Child Care Home Provider Survey Results
Coming soon!
Parent Resources
Talking About COVID-19 with Children (CDC Suggestions)
Community Resources
Recent CDC Guidance
