Posted on October 13, 2021
- All parent co-pays for child care subsidies will be waived through the end of 2023;
- The additional $300 per month per child subsidy payment will continue until the end of 2023 to eliminate additional parent co-pay and help programs cover costs;
- $1,000 recruitment bonuses will be provided to newly hired child care staff and $1,000 retention bonuses to those who have continued employment. This will be repeated again in six months;
- Center-based programs can apply for stabilization grants of $20,000 - $80,000 for a range of uses, including increased wages and facilities improvements. Family child care homes are eligible for grants of $2,000. These grants are open to programs that accept child care subsidies and those that do not;
- Family child care providers will be eligible for tiered reimbursement if rated in Grow NJ Kids (GNJK); and
- Incentives will be provided to centers and family child care homes to develop child care for evenings, weekends and other non-traditional hours.
ACNJ wishes to highlight the work of advocates Meghan Tavormina, Shirnet Fray Palmer, Cynthia Soete, Winifred Smith Jenkins and Keisha Daniel Wright, who each tirelessly authored op-eds, participated in news interviews, offered testimony and attended webinars calling for the need to support child care through the pandemic and beyond.
Importantly, this monumental goal would not have been achieved without the voices and advocacy of all the parents, child care providers and other advocates who participated in town halls, signed petitions and shared action alerts helped to move these funds forward. You helped to elevate the voice of our youngest residents and ensured that those who care for them are well supported!
Thank you for joining us as we continue to #ReimagineChildCare and make New Jersey the safest, healthiest and most supportive place to raise a family.
