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ACT NOW: Families Need Child Care and Child Care Programs Need Help from Washington!

Posted on November 13, 2023

Tell Congress to prioritize children and families, ensuring child care funding as they make decisions on federal appropriations this week.

The federal COVID funding for child care that expired this September, kept the child care industry in business throughout the pandemic, allowing programs to continue to provide critical learning opportunities for our youngest children while enabling their parents to go to work.

Earlier this month, the Biden-Harris Administration requested $16 billion from Congress in supplemental funding for child care. This funding would keep many child care programs from closing down, including programs in New Jersey.

New Jersey’s Members of Congress have a lot on their plates as they take action on our federal appropriations, so we must ensure that child care remains a top priority for Congress. Congress has until this Friday to take action on federal appropriations to prevent a government shutdown. So we need you to ACT NOW. 

Meet our Panelists on Moving Forward with Social Media: Balancing the Benefits Against the Risks

Posted on November 9, 2023

Join us at ACNJ's 8th Annual Breakfast celebration featuring a panel discussion on how we can embrace social media while balancing the benefits against the risks.

Social media is an integral part of today's world. People are able to stay connected, businesses can reach more customers and organizations can promote their cause. For many, it has become a primary source to stay informed on current events and trends. Social media has a positive impact, but there are some downfalls, especially for children.

Join us as we listen to a discussion on the impact social networks have on children and youth, how to maximize the benefits, and how to minimize the risks.

Moderator: Rosy Arroyo
Administrator, Camden County Youth Services Commission
Member, ACNJ Board of Trustees

Rosy Arroyo is the Camden County Youth Services Commission Administrator and Community Engagement Reentry Coordinator. She focuses on reducing youth involvement in the justice system by coordinating system partners and community resources to create successful pathways for opportunities. Ms. Arroyo has also served as Executive Manager on Camden County’s Community Planning and Advocacy Council. She has led front end systems diversion efforts by working with law enforcement to support positive and increased engagement with the community. In order to provide a holistic approach to the work, Ms. Arroyo developed, and successfully implemented, a Youth Justice Family Engagement program to assist families with navigating the justice system. She holds a B.A. in Political Science/Economics from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Public Policy from Drexel University. She is currently working on the development of a Restorative and Transformative Justice HUB in the city of Camden, and also serves as a Member on the ACNJ Board of Trustees.

Jeffrey Lane, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Communication
Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Dr. Jeffrey Lane is an Associate Professor of Communication at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Princeton University. Dr. Lane studies communication and technology as it relates to urban life, youth culture, criminal justice, and social inequalities. He is the author of The Digital Street (Oxford University Press, 2019), a neighborhood study of social media use in Harlem (NYC). Dr. Lane is the co-founder and co-chair of the Rutgers Digital Ethnography Working Group (DEWG), a Faculty Affiliate of the New Jersey Center on Gun Violence Research at Rutgers University, and a Research Affiliate of the Center on Digital Culture and Society at Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as, American Behavioral Scientist, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication and New Media & Society, and written about in popular news outlets like The Atlantic, New York Times and New York Magazine.

Ravjit (Ruby) Sekhon MSW, LCSW
Program Manager, School and Community Based Programs
Director, Middlesex County NJ4S HUB, Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care

Ruby Sekhon works at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and is overseeing the new state initiative from the Department of Children of Families (DCF)--the New Jersey Statewide Support Services (NJ4S) program for Middlesex County. This program is designed to enhance students’ access to prevention and mental health services through a hub-and-spokes model of care. A major focus is on creating educational workshops and presentations to schools and communities on various topics to support the emotional, behavioral and mental health needs of students. Ms. Sekhon has over 15 years of experience in the field of social services working with diverse populations in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, hospitals, schools, nonprofits and case/care management programs. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and with a minor in Global Studies at Kean University and holds a Masters in Social Work from Rutgers University, with a specialization in Gerontology. She is a licensed level clinical social worker in New Jersey and holds a certification in Clinical Supervision that allows her to provide advanced-level supervision to professionals obtaining clinical hours for their mental health and substance use credentialing.

Youth Panelist: Ziany Lee Gunther
Web Design Intern, Hopeworks, Camden

 

Ziany Lee Gunther is a web design intern at Hopeworks, a non-profit organization that provides training and opportunities for youth in Camden, New Jersey. She is skilled in HTML, CSS, WordPress, Figma and Adobe Photoshop. She is also a chairperson and recruiter at Community Planning & Advocacy Council (CPAC), where they perform street outreach and organize youth focus groups to improve community resources. Ms. Gunther graduated from Creative Arts High School in 2022 with a diploma in fashion design. She is also ABA banking certified and has experience in customer service. She has a strong passion for helping others and making a positive impact in their communities.

 

Did you know that every dollar invested in Pre-K programs generates massive returns?

Posted on November 8, 2023

jake-moore

By Jake Moore

Policy Associate

For more information on this topic contact Jake at jmoore@acnj.org

Did You Know Blog Banner

Many studies suggest that for every dollar invested in pre-K, communities reap a $4 return. That’s a 400% return on investment! Even annual returns from investing in early education programs outperform the world’s largest stock exchanges.

What Benefits Are We Talking About?

It goes without saying that children enrolled in preschool thrive later in life. Studies following former preschoolers in New Jersey demonstrate greater academic achievement all the way through to high school. More importantly, long-term studies conducted in states like Georgia, Massachusetts, and Michigan consistently show children enrolled in high-quality pre-K programs were more likely to graduate high school, and attend college.

Furthermore, greater academic achievement is correlated with greater earnings and prosperity. Each of these studies identified connections between preschool enrollment and full-time employment as adults. Investment in high-quality preschool can even benefit future generations, with some studies showing that children of former preschoolers achieve more academically and financially.

Although we often focus on the individual benefits of a preschool education, the communal and societal benefits should not be overlooked.

Every $ invested in Pre-K Final

Beyond Individual Benefits

Greater preschool enrollment is shown to reduce socioeconomic and racial disparities in educational outcomes. Admittedly, greater preschool investment can’t address everything that drives these gaps, but it is an indispensable support. The collective benefits of addressing racial disparities in education alone are staggeringly large, and greater pre-K access plays a role in the solution.

Communally, greater pre-K enrollment is connected to lower crime rates. One reason for this is that students with earlier support are better equipped for school and, therefore, less likely to be suspended. This, in turn, is associated with lower subsequent crime. In all, some estimate that access to high-quality pre-K would save 70 billion dollars in crime and child abuse costs annually.

Quite importantly, greater access to early educational opportunities allows the workforce, most notably working mothers, to prosper. Studies, both nationally and internationally, recognize that investments in pre-K allow mothers to return to the workforce as preschool often includes or acts as child care. The benefits are especially pronounced for women living in poverty, less educated women, and women of color. With a larger and more supported workforce, businesses and our economy can thrive.

What Now?

While NJ has had a long-standing commitment to high-quality preschool, there is still plenty of work yet to be done. As of now, New Jersey alone spends over three times as much per child over age 5 than they do for preschool-aged children. Even with federal dollars, a New Jersey 4-year-old only receives 37 cents for every dollar directed to a 5-year-old.

This isn’t just a problem facing parents, but also communities, businesses, and everyone who stands to benefit from a healthier, safer, more educated, and prosperous New Jersey.

According to the most recent enrollment data, over 66,000 children were enrolled in a pre-K program. However, nearly 200,000 are eligible. That means barely 1 in 3 preschoolers are being served.

In the future, New Jersey's commitment to a high-quality and equitable preschool experience for all 3- and 4-year-olds must ensure a level of investment and oversight that makes preschool accessible to all young children. If we do, all New Jersey residents stand to benefit.

Federal COVID Child Care Funding and The Family Child Care Experience

Posted on November 1, 2023

Federal COVID Child Care Funding and The Family Child Care Experience: Utilization, Impact and What the Future Holds for Programs and Families

Child care businesses cannot survive on determination, commitment, and their love for children. The recent federal dollars provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) Stabilization Grants was hoped to be an opportunity to revitalize a critical resource for working families. But this short-term investment resulted in a short-term fix to a long-standing problem. It temporarily stabilized child care programs during the COVID-19 health emergency and revealed how extreme the situation was, particularly for family child care providers.

More than just physical capital is needed to change the course of family child care. These providers know how to improve their programs, but training and opportunities to build skills that maintain solid business practices despite existing barriers are necessary to improve the business of family child care.

Read the report to learn about the family child care experience and better understand their needs.

#NJVotes4Kids Video Contest: And the Winners are…

Posted on October 31, 2023

ACNJ is excited to announce the winners of the #NJVotes4Kids video contest! We received wonderful submissions from students across the state about issues that matter to them and why it is important to vote.

And the winners are...

Grades 3-5

  • 1st place:
    Zyan Siddiqui, Gr. 3, Sussex County
  • 2nd place:
    Maryam Haq, Gr. 3, Ocean County

Grades 6-8

  • 1st place:
    Elliana Norman and Alanis James, Gr. 8, Salem County (Collaboration)
  • Tied for 2nd place:
    Ziva Damille, Gr. 6, Essex County

    Victoria Egbukonye, Gr. 6, Essex County

Grades 9-12

  • 1st place:
    Barnel Paul, Gr. 12, Essex County and Angelina Pallotta, Gr. 12, Bergen County (Collaboration)
  • Tied for 2nd place:
    Michelle Lee, Gr. 9, Morris County

    Katherine Wulf, Gr. 10, Warren County