Posted on November 26, 2025
New Jersey Reopens the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), A Major Victory for Families
Advocates Urge Continued Focus on Long-term Solution to Affordable Child Care
Newark, NJ — Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) and the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children (NJAEYC) celebrate a major milestone with the reopening of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), restoring access to essential child care support for working families across the state. This achievement reflects a strong, bipartisan commitment to strengthening family economic security and supporting the providers who anchor our child care system.
An anticipated shortfall in the CCAP program resulted in an application freeze over the summer, leaving families without access to child care and jeopardizing their ability to join or stay in the workforce. The State announced the reopening of the program - effective January 2026 - relieving some of that pressure. Children in priority groups can apply beginning in December.
While the reopening of the program provides relief for those who were shut out of the application process over the summer, a funding shortfall remains, leaving many children without the needed child care.
