What’s New?

NJ Department of Children and Families’ Response to COVID-19

Posted on March 25, 2020

On March 21st, Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order mandating all non-essential retail businesses temporarily close in order to halt the spread of COVID-19. Businesses, residents and government officials are still scrambling to adjust to the new normal until it is deemed safe to return to our daily lives, leaving many questions while the globe works to flatten the curve.

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), which helps to support at-risk children and families, has taken measures to ensure the safety of both their employees and the families that they serve. Most staff is now ordered to work at home, being provided technical support as needed. As of now, all permanency, adoption and resource staff are working remotely. Visitations by child protective services will be conducted remotely instead of in-person, using daily phone calls, FaceTime and other means to maintain contact with the child and the birth family. In-person monthly or twice-monthly visits have been relaxed.

Members of the COVID-19 Response Teams, comprised of local office field staff, are located at the area offices to manage referrals from the state’s central screening hotline, as well as any high-risk permanency cases. A skeleton crew in local offices are helping with any clerical issues. Though some court cases are still conducted in person, that is also expected to end amid the pandemic.

Any notices regarding removing a child from DCF will indicate that hearings will be conducted remotely. A contact number for the caseworker will also be provided to help with communications for the parents on the scheduling of the hearing. As of right now, the state’s court system will be adjourning all fact-findings in child abuse and neglect cases, as well as termination of parental rights trials, though they are discussing if the system will have to resort to having trials remotely.

Additional guidance for employees and families will be offered as issues come up and will be posted on the department’s website. New Jersey is a mandatory reporting state. If you witness child abuse, call the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-877-652-2873.

Free Census Learning Tools for Kids

Posted on March 24, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of the numerous support programs funded using federal dollars – child care, libraries, hospitals and more. These funds are determined based on decennial Census data. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to motivate our communities to fill out their 2020 Census questionnaires. More than $45 billion in annual state funding depends on it.

Families and caregivers can use this time spent at home with their children to teach them about this monumental civic duty and emphasize that they, too, count in the Census. Child care providers can communicate these resources through email blasts and help promote an accurate count.

Filling out your Census is fast, easy and important, and can all be done from the comforts of your own home. Dedicate ten minutes of your time today to fill it out online, by mail or over the phone, then help motivate others to fill theirs out by sharing the tools below.

  • Sesame Street toolkit, filled with videos and pamphlets of your favorite characters reminding you to fill out your Census forms and not to forget your children
  • Nickelodeon toolkit. Join Spongebob and friends as they stress the importance of the Census in child-friendly language
  • 2020 “Count Everyone!” Song. Whether you are tiny or tall, everyone counts! An engaging easy-to-follow sing-along, complete with lyrics and sheet music.
  • Take a #CensusSelfie of everyone counted in your household and use our Census Facebook frame to tell others to fill out their Census questionnaires too.
  • “We Count!”, a free Census ebook, available in 15 different languages
  • “Todos Contamos!” video (below). A reading of “We Count!” en español by ACNJ’s own Miguelina Maldonado. Read along by visiting www.wecountkids.org/ebooks

The Latest: COVID-19 Response

Posted on March 22, 2020

Artboard-COVID-response

ACNJ is here for NJ children.

We hope you are all staying healthy during this extraordinary time amidst the COVID-19 crisis. With so many questions, fears, worries and many unknowns, ACNJ remains committed to its efforts to advocate for New Jersey's most vulnerable children and their families. We will be communicating often and share updates as they become available. Below you will also find helpful resources to help parents, child care providers and those that work with children and families cope with the challenges of the time.

We want to hear from you.

Let us know your needs. Hearing about the real life, day to day challenges will help inform our advocacy and communication strategies. If you are having child care related issues, please fill out our survey.

ACNJ has partnered with ZERO TO THREE to collect stories about how you have been impacted by COVID-19. We hope that you will complete the very short survey and ask those in your networks to share their stories too. We will take what we learn from you and share with policymakers. Share your story.

Find resources for families and providers.
Coronavirus stories: We Want to Hear From You
 ZERO TO THREE is spreading care! Share your stories to help those caring for babies and toddlers.ZERO TO THREE coronavirus survey

State Response on impact of COVID-19

Latest COVID-19 Child Care Actions by Governor Murphy's Administration

To stay up-to-date with how states are approaching the pandemic, the Alliance for Early Success is collecting and maintaining the latest strategies and resources by state.

New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ Response to COVID-19

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) takes measures to ensure the safety of both their employees and the families that they serve. Read more

Recent Posts

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Federal Response on COVID-19

Federal Update: Emergency COVID-19 Response Legislation and Next Steps for Babies

The Census continues to move forward but there are delays in operations.

In light of COVID-19, the U.S. Census Bureau has adjusted their operations to best serve the community to ensure everyone's safety, all while striving towards a complete count. Read more.

Resources

NJ COVID-19 Hub

New Jersey Information Hub: New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub

Do you need help during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic?
New Jersey Human Services is here to help you and your family.

View flyer with links to resources from paying for groceries, healthcare, child care and mental health services. (View Flyer in  Spanish)

New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance: Helpful links

New Jersey Economic Development: COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus Information for New Jersey Businesses

Parents

Do you need help during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic?
New Jersey Human Services is here to help you and your family.

View flyer with links to resources from paying for groceries, healthcare, child care and mental health services. (View Flyer in  Spanish)

In need of immediate help? Feeling overwhelmed?.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to these hotlines.

Child Care Providers

Governor closes child care centers by April 1 unless they are providing care to children of essential workers, but must submit an application.

Child Care Providers and COVID-19: Paying the Bills and Helping Staff Pay theirs, ACNJ summary of federal and state supports.

View Child Care Closures – What Child Care Programs and Parents Need to Know After Governor Murphy’s COVID-19 Executive Order of March 25, 2020

Child Care and COVID-19: State and Federal Supports Webinars 

View recordings and resources of Session I,Session II and Session III

Education

BLOG: School is in session – Homeschooling during a pandemic, by Nina Peckman, ACNJ Staff Attorney

Resources:

Health

Food Access

Addressing Hunger During Coronavirus crisis, Hunger Free New Jersey

  • Residents who need food assistance can visit and apply for SNAP online at www.NJHelps.org.
    *NOTE: D-SNAP (disaster SNAP) is not subject to the public charge option for immigrants.
  • Search food pantries in your area at nj211.org Call before you go.
  • WIC (Nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children) is open for Business. In light of COVID-19, New Jersey WIC is allowing additional food items in anticipation of limited food selections related to recent events. 

Non-Profits/Business

Non-Profit/Business Resources

Business Resources

Child Care Statement on COVID-19

Posted on March 22, 2020

As child care advocates, we are calling for strong measures to fully sustain New Jersey’s child care system for children, families and the economy. This extraordinary health crisis demonstrates, in the most compelling way, the importance of affordable, accessible, safe child care for children and families.

Our first priority is ensuring the health and well-being of children and all who care for them in child care settings. That is why we believe that child care programs must be mandated to close, just as schools have been closed. However, we understand that children of emergency responders and other essential personnel must have access to care during this uncertain time. This must – and can - be done in a way that fully protects children and caregivers.

At the same time, strong measures must be taken to protect the fragile infrastructure of our child care ecosystem. The decisions we make now will have a longstanding impact on the future of child care, particularly subsidized care for low-income families. Without immediate action, many child care programs are at risk of going out of business permanently.

We, the undersigned organizations, urge Governor Murphy and his administration to adopt the following policies.

Mandate child care programs to close immediately, consistent with the mandatory closure of schools, with specific provisions to address the child care needs of first responders and essential workers.

Continue to make child care subsidy payments to all providers, either open or closed. Base payment on each program’s March 1, 2020 enrollment numbers, not attendance, and continue payment through April 30, 2020. Provide full payment to cover parent co-payments. Assess future action, depending on the status of the pandemic at that time.

Ensure access to unemployment insurance for family child care homes and center-based providers who do not accept subsidies.

Rescind the March 16th suspension of DCF licensing standards for minimum play space requirements and group size, so that children who need child care, will stay as safe as possible.

Develop emergency plans to ensure that health personnel, emergency responders and other essential services have access to child care if needed. Such plans must provide a clear definition of the essential personnel and establish guidelines for the safe provision of care.

Raise the child care subsidy rate by an additional $100 per month per child to support the added costs of those centers that remain open to provide child care to essential personnel.

Signed by:

  • Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ)
  • New Jersey’s Statewide Afterschool Network (NJSACC)
  • New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children (NJAEYC)
  • New Jersey Head Start Association (NJHSA)
  • Coalition for Infant Toddler Educators (CITE)
  • The New Jersey Family Child Care Providers Association (NJPCCPA)

Newark Kids Count Digital Release

Posted on March 18, 2020

With the 2020 Census in full swing and Brick City topping the list of hard-to-count places in the nation, Newark must overcome a unique set of challenges to ensure a complete count, according to the 2020 Newark Kids Count report. The release of the report coincides with Count All Kids Day, a national campaign to highlight the need to count all children in the Census. Children under age 5 are at highest risk of being undercounted.