What’s New?

“We’re Here Too!” NJ Fathers Share Stories of Barriers, Bias and Invisibility

Posted on March 2, 2026

Despite decades of research confirming that father involvement significantly improves children's social, emotional, academic, and health outcomes, New Jersey fathers — particularly those in under-resourced communities — continue to face a system that was not built with them in mind. This report draws on community conversations with 64 fathers across the state to document the barriers, bias, and invisibility they encounter when trying to play an active role in their children's lives. Dive in to learn what fathers had to say about the barriers they face and how they can be better supported in their role as a Dad.

The report calls on policymakers, funders, and service providers to recognize fathers as equal partners in parenting their children and to invest in the programs, policies, and cultural shifts needed to make that vision a reality.

Visit our Family Resources and Supports for a list of organizations that provide support services to Dads.

Visit Family Resources and Supports

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Blueprint for Affordable Child Care: New Jersey Doesn’t Work Without It

Posted on February 19, 2026

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Start Strong NJ releases blueprint to make affordable, quality child care available to every family in the state that needs it.

Before an audience of dozens of New Jersey legislators, Start Strong NJ unveiled its Blueprint for Affordable Child Care. The event featured Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell and a discussion between Steve Adubato and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz. All speakers shared a unified message: child care must be a top priority for our state’s future.

The report's comprehensive recommendations are based on three guiding principles:

  • Child care must be affordable and accessible for every family that needs it.
  • Early childhood educators must be compensated and supported as the professionals they are.
  • Child care must be recognized and funded as essential economic infrastructure.
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Underinvestment has left the state’s Child Care Assistance Program unable to reliably provide child care subsidies for all eligible families. This led to enrollment freezes that cause financial hardship to parents and child care providers. At the same time, child care is unaffordable for many working families who don’t qualify for assistance but whose incomes aren’t sufficient to absorb rising tuition costs.

Meanwhile, early childhood educators – the backbone of the system – are paid wages too low to sustain a stable workforce, contributing to persistent shortages and high turnover. Combined, these pressures reveal a financing model that is fragmented, unpredictable, and insufficient for a sector that functions as essential economic infrastructure.

“We can’t build a competitive economy on an unstable child care system,” said Start Strong NJ Co-chair Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Director of Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy at Advocates for Children of New Jersey. “Child care is the workforce behind the workforce. Until we fund it with the same seriousness we apply to transportation, utilities, and schools, New Jersey will continue to leave families, businesses, and children behind.”

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New Jersey Legislative Fact Sheets 2026

Posted on January 30, 2026

How are communities in your legislative district supporting its children? Our 2026 New Jersey Legislative Fact Sheets provide the critical data for lawmakers and state leaders need to make informed policy decisions. Use the data as a roadmap for advocacy. You will also be able to view the New Jersey Statewide Fact Sheet in the tab to see how your community compares to the rest of the state and to understand the broader trends shaping the lives of New Jersey’s children.

For legislators, these fact sheets are an essential tool for identifying local needs and crafting policies that strengthen family supports and services. We also encourage you—their constituents and community members—to download your district’s fact sheet and share it with your representatives. By putting this data into the hands of decision-makers, we can drive change to give every child a chance.

 

View Legislative Fact Sheets

View NJ Legislative Fact Sheet 2026 Sources

Dr. Winifred Smith-Jenkins Named Garden State Power Fellow

Posted on January 23, 2026

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Winifred Smith-Jenkins, ACNJ’s Director of Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy, who has been selected for the Garden State Power Fellowship. She is one of 24 chosen for this opportunity. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Fund for New Jersey, and the Rockwood Leadership Institute, this fellowship is designed  to grow the leadership development infrastructure in New Jersey for senior leaders in state-wide policy organizations, provide leaders a transformational opportunity to grow their leadership, mitigate burnout and enhance sustainability, and strengthen networks and connects with other leaders in the region.

Murphy Signs Critical Legislation Before Leaving Office

Posted on January 22, 2026

Before the Murphy administration concluded, several critical pieces of legislation were signed into law.

  • "Bell-to-Bell" Cell Phone Ban: Effective for the 2026-27 school year, this law restricts student phone use during school hours. The policy reflects recommendations from the Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, of which ACNJ was a member.
  • Expanded Behavioral Health Access: New Jersey has now joined a growing movement to make preventive behavioral health services more accessible and recognize early relational health as foundational to children’s development. This landmark legislation allows Medicaid and state-regulated commercial plans to bill for preventive services (counseling, family guidance, and screenings) using "at-risk" Z-codes. This removes the requirement for a formal diagnosis to receive early relational health support.
  • Expanded Job-Protected Family Leave: Job-protected leave is now more accessible thanks to the advocacy of New Jersey Citizen Action and the NJ Time to Care Coalition. Protections now apply to businesses with 15+ employees (down from 30). In addition, workers now qualify after just 3 months of employment.
  • Chronic Absenteeism Task Force: A new task force has been established to examine the root causes of student absences and develop statewide strategies to improve public school attendance. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, has surged nationwide since the pandemic. In New Jersey, the rate peaked at 18.1% in the 2021-22 school year and declined to nearly 15% in the 2023-24 school year. However, it remains very high in urban districts, at nearly 40%, in places like Trenton, Camden, and Paterson.
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