What’s New?

Reopening Child Care in NJ Webinar Series Starting Jun. 5th

Posted on June 2, 2020

Last week, Governor Murphy announced that child care will reopen on June 15th. Advocates for Children of New Jersey and Program for Parents present a webinar series to hear from emergency child care centers on how to get ready to reopen under the new state guidelines.

NOTE: The webinars will be recorded and live streamed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/acnjforkids.

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Register

This first webinar in the series will consider the data and information you will need in order inform your reopening plan.  It will cover parent engagement, financials and staffing needs. Dr. Beverly Lynn will facilitate the discussion with a panel of child care directors providing real life examples and commentary.

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Register

Consider “the day in the life of” from provider, parent and child’s perspectives.  What new policies will have to be in place? How will providers effectively and efficiently meet the obligations of the new policies.  Dr. Beverly Lynn will review the new social distancing mandates from check – in to check out, as well as safety and cleaning procedures.  Hear from emergency child care providers who are on the ground and are able to discuss evolving best practices.

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Register

Consistent and reliable staff was important before and now it is key to successfully reopening your program.  Whether a center laid-off or furloughed their staff, this third webinar will take a deep dive into a provider's rights and obligations for re-hiring and training staff.  An expert will address concerns about fulfilling staffing needs.

BLOG: School’s Closed Due to COVID-19 – What Does That Mean?

Posted on May 6, 2020

Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney
Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney

It’s now official - On May 4th, Governor Murphy made the announcement via Twitter and his daily COVID-19 town hall that due to concern for the health and safety of students, teachers, and families, New Jersey schools will be closed for rest of the year, instead relying on remote learning. But what does this mean for students in the long term?

School districts will first have to submit a revised emergency preparedness plans to the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) regarding the rest of the year. Districts will have discretion in how they implement NJDOE guidelines, such as grading and retention issues. In the meantime, schools are developing creative solutions for high school graduations, proms and other celebrations, while also respecting health and safety considerations due to the pandemic. While there are no concrete plans for what will happen when schools reopen, some districts are considering summer school, staggered schedules, smaller classes, online learning and using facemasks for faculty, staff and students.

An NJDOE survey revealed there are still 90,000 students who lack access to technology needed for effective remote learning. New Jersey just applied for about $310 million under the federal CARES Act to help fund school district programs and address the needs of students who did not have access to education during the school closures. Parents should be contacting their schools to ask about any emergency plans. The NJDOE has stated that it is in the process of developing additional guidance. Parents can learn more about NJDOE’s latest guidance in light of COVID-19 by clicking here.

Census Activities Postponed, Extended Due to COVID-19

Posted on April 28, 2020

In light of COVID-19, the U.S. Census Bureau has postponed or extended many of its operations. You can still complete the Census from the comforts of your home, either online at 2020census.gov, over the phone or by mail. If you have any questions about the Census, suspect a scam, or would like to complete your questionnaire over the phone, call 844-330-2020 for assistance in English. For foreign-language phone assistance, visit this page for the appropriate phone number.

Here are some important dates reflecting the U.S. Census Bureau’s operational changes:

  • Beginning June 1: Field offices will reopen on a rolling basis, in accordance with local health and safety guidelines.
  • August 11: Non-Response Follow-Up begins. This is the period when the Census Bureau visits households in person to collect Census responses.

Although the Census Bureau has delayed the in-person count until August 11, people are still encouraged to respond as soon as possible. The reference day of the Census (April 1, 2020) has not changed. Schedules for the overnight homelessness count and mobile assistance units have not been released.

The Census is requesting from Congress a 120-day delay in reporting final counts and data, due to these operational delays. You can find more information on the Census Bureau’s request here.

Reopening Child Care in NJ Webinar Recordings and Materials

Posted on June 10, 2020

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This first webinar focused on the data and information needed to inform a child care center reopening plan.  It covered parent engagement, financials and staffing needs.T he discussion with a panel of child care directors provided real life examples and commentary.

2020_06_09_Child_Care_Operation_Readiness_title2

Watching this webinar you'll get a  view of “the day in the life of” from provider, parent and child’s perspectives.  The new policies that will have to be in place and how providers can effectively and efficiently meet the obligations of the new policies.  Dr. Beverly Lynn reviews the new social distancing mandates from check – in to check out, as well as safety and cleaning procedures.  Hear from emergency child care providers who are on the ground and are able to discuss evolving best practices.

View complete video of A Day in the Life of an Emergency Child Care Center presented in the webinar.

2020_06_11_Child_Care_Reopening_Employer_Rights_title2

Consistent and reliable staff was important before and now it is key to successfully reopening your program.  Whether a center laid-off or furloughed their staff, this third webinar will take a deep dive into a provider's rights and obligations for re-hiring and training staff.  An expert will address concerns about fulfilling staffing needs.

New Data Shows Impact of COVID-19 on Families and Children

Posted on June 2, 2020

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey show how households with children are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in near-real-time. Most data are broken out by households with children under 18. The survey targets a few key topics, such as food sufficiency, housing insecurity, employment loss, educational changes and health status.  

In New Jersey*:

  • Approximately 1.4 million households with children are using online learning to receive educational services,
  • An estimated 94,000 households with children reported often not having enough to eat in the last 7 days
  • And roughly 1.5 million households with children have lost a job since March 13, 2020.

Learn more about the Household Pulse Survey methodology.
Access the new data tables (updated weekly).
View the interactive data tool.

At ACNJ, our KIDS COUNT data project aims to provide policymakers with accurate reliable data to help inform decision-making. Unfortunately, many data sources have a lag time between collection and publication. This means that in a fast-moving crisis like COVID-19, policymakers may be flying blind, without reliable data.

Thankfully, the new Household Pulse Survey is surveying tens of thousands of respondents nationally on how they’re doing, including state-level data for New Jersey and metropolitan area data for both Philadelphia and New York City, acting as a guide during the pandemic. 

ACNJ will use this information to produce new data products looking at New Jersey’s landscape for children and families as our state’s emergency orders evolve. Check our COVID-19 page for regular updates.

*Based on Household Pulse Survey, Detail Tables for Week 3: May 14-May 19.