What’s New?

Message from our New Director of Early Learning Policy and Advocacy To the Child Care Community

Posted on March 14, 2023

Posted 3/15/2023

Winifred Head Shot2

Winifred Smith-Jenkins
Director of Early Learning Policy and Advocacy

Dear Child Care Providers,

I recently joined Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) as the Director of Early Learning Policy and Advocacy. As a former child care director, I understand firsthand the challenges that each of you are facing, from last-minute callouts to overwhelming reporting mandates.

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the critical work you are doing every day for the children of New Jersey. I am committed to using my new position to advocate for and with you. But I cannot do this alone - I need your help. I want to hear your stories, so that I can uplift your voices and advocate for industry-wide change.

If you are new to ACNJ, I want you to know that we have many ways for you to get involved. From completing surveys and writing op-eds to contacting your legislators and testifying, there are many opportunities to engage with our work. Please do not let your day-to-day challenges make you lose sight of your bigger vision of making your community a better place, one child at a time.

For those of you who have helped in the past, I want to express my gratitude, and encourage you to continue to do more. The child care industry is too critical and fragile for you to stop now.

Please take a moment to review ACNJ's latest infant/toddler child care capacity report, Still No Room for Babies: Child Care Staffing Crisis Impacts Supply of Infant-Toddler Child Care. This report, which was compiled based on many or your responses, helps us better understand what is happening in child care throughout New Jersey. I am asking each of you to join our #Reimaginechildcare campaign today, which focuses on advocating for accessible and affordable child care for all New Jersey residents.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via phone (973-643-3876) or email (wsmith-jenkins@acnj.org) if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to working together with all of you to make a meaningful impact on the lives of New Jersey's youngest children.

Warmest regards,

Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Former Child Care Director

Together let's

Sign up to join the campaign.

Still No Room for Babies: Child Care Staffing Crisis Impacts Supply of Infant-Toddler Child Care

Posted on March 13, 2023

Advocates for Children of New Jersey's latest report, Still No Room for Babies: Child Care Staffing Crisis Impacts Supply of Infant-Toddler Child Care, reveals a widespread shortage of infant and toddler child care.  A statewide survey of child care centers serving infants and toddlers found that licensed centers have the capacity to serve approximately 68,000 infants and toddlers, however are typically serving closer to 55,000 children. This potentially leaves more than 150,000 very young children in New Jersey without the option of center-based care. The primary reason centers reported serving fewer children than they have the capacity to serve is that they cannot find enough staff to work in the infant and toddler room.  Read the report to learn of the challenges leading to infant-toddler child care deserts across the state.

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Infant Toddler child care capacity fact sheets
Click to view Infant and Toddler Child Care Capacity County Factsheets.
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Tell the State What Needs to be Included in the FY2024 Budget!

Posted on March 8, 2023

Last week, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy delivered his sixth state budget address, outlining major initiatives that he believes will continue to move New Jersey towards becoming a “stronger, fairer, and more affordable” state. The public registration process for both oral and written testimony on what we think should be our state’s budget priorities has started. Your opinions matter!

ACNJ has released sample testimony to speak up for child care issues. Learn more about the budget hearings.

Can't make the budget hearings? Send your written testimony regarding the NJ FY2024 budget by email:

Questions? Contact Cynthia Rice at crice@acnj.org.

Senate Hearings

In-Person
Tuesday, March 21, 2023, 10 AM
Ramapo College of New Jersey,
Trustees Pavilion
505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, New Jersey 07430

Register

Virtual
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 10 AM

*Please log into the session within the hour prior to the start of the session to guarantee participation. The public may view the hearing via the New Jersey Legislature homepage at https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/.

Register

Assembly Hearings

In Person
Monday, March 27, 2023, 9:30 AM
State House Annex, Committee Room 11,
4th Floor
125 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Register

In Person
Wednesday, March 29, 2023, 9:30 AM
State House Annex, Committee Room 11,
4th Floor
125 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08625

*During this session, early time slots will be reserved for persons who, as a result of a disability, wish to deliver their testimony remotely via videoconference technology.

Register

Governor’s Proposed Budget Includes Big Wins for Kids and Families

Posted on March 1, 2023

On February 28, 2023, Governor Murphy delivered his sixth state budget address, outlining his major initiatives for the FY2024 budget, “expanding affordability, promoting fiscal responsibility, and creating world-class opportunities for everyone to succeed in the Next New Jersey.”

Read the State of NJ Budget in Brief

While the Governor’s $53.1 billion proposed budget focuses heavily on tax relief and increasing the budgetary surplus, it also includes proposed funding increases to programs that will support children and their families.

Highlights of these investments include:

  • Child Care:
    • More than $12 million for wage increases for child care providers.
    • Continues child care subsidy payments based on enrollment.
    • Maintains the $300/child monthly child care supplementary payment.
    • Continues the family subsidy co-pay waiver.
  • Child Tax Credit: Doubling the child state income tax credit to $1,000 per child.
  • Preschool Aid: $109 million for state-funded preschool, $40 million of which would go towards expanding public preschool in new districts and $69 million would go to current districts that offer universal preschool. This would bring the total state funding for preschool to more than $1 billion.
  • School Aid: $832 million in the K-12 school funding formula, bringing the total state aid to nearly $11 billion.
  • Public School Teachers: $5 million to waive teacher certification fees, $10 million for student-teacher stipends, and $1 million to develop local partnerships for paraprofessional training.
  • Student Learning: $10 million for high-impact tutoring for elementary and secondary school students to remedy pandemic losses, bringing the aggregate total to $30 million.
  • Home Visiting: $4.5 million increase to expand the state's universal home visiting program.
    • Maternal and Infant Health: 
        • $750,000 in new funding for doula and community health worker training.
    • $630,000 in funding for the first in the nation New Jersey Report Card of Hospital Maternity Care and $600,000 for the New Jersey Maternal Data Center.
    • Increased funding to the Commission of Science, Innovation, and Technology in EDA to expand their Maternal and Infant Health Research & Development Seed Grant Program.
  • Mental Health Services: $43 million for the inaugural year of the NJ Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) network, a new model for delivering mental health services to New Jersey’s youth across the State.
  • School Nutrition: Expand access to free school meals for children in families making under 200% of the federal poverty level with more than $20 million in new funding.

As more details emerge, we will provide updates to ensure that children have a voice in this budget process.

Share the News! Retweet @acnjforkids below!

Emphasizing the Importance of Data

Posted on February 27, 2023

Blog-headline

Posted 2/27/2023

Alena Siddiqui Data Analyst

By Alena Siddiqui, Kids Count Coordinator

Data are a crucial tool for advocacy and help to provide a snapshot of the well-being of children and families. Advocates are able to see what areas are improving and where opportunities for continued growth and development are needed. One philanthropy, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), is passionate about improving the lives of children in the United States and believes that data is the key to developing a brighter future for millions of children. AECF has grantees in every US state and territory charged with collecting and disseminating information relevant to children and families across the nation. ACNJ is proud to be the grantee for New Jersey.

Each year, AEFC releases its national Kids Count data book, providing a snapshot regarding the well-being of children in every state across 16 indicators. The group also compares states across four domains - Economic Well-Being, Health, Education, and Family and Community. According to the 2022 Kids Count Databook, New Jersey ranked first in education, ninth in health, 16th in family and community, and 22nd in economic well-being.

In addition to the databook, AECF hosts the Kids Count Data Center, an interactive data dashboard containing a plethora of information for individual states, counties, cities, and the country as a whole. Users have the ability to compare states on a variety of data indicators with topics such as demographics, education, economic well-being, and more.

Since 1991, ACNJ has released our own databooks, including both statewide reports and coverage on cities such as Newark, Trenton, and Paterson. Using these databooks, ACNJ hopes that:

  • policymakers will make better-informed decisions regarding policies and regulations regarding children,
  • service providers will use it to improve their responses to key issues affecting children,
  • grant writers will use it to solicit support for their programs, and
  • concerned residents will use it to become more informed advocates.

The reports have since laid the groundwork for conversations, as key stakeholders look for opportunities to further improve the lives of children through thoughtful, solutions-oriented dialogue. Our latest conversations surround the well-being of children in Trenton in pivotal indicators.

ACNJ also consistently releases data regarding the well-being of children and families in the Garden State. Our data dashboard covers key areas across eight domains - demographics, child and family economics, child health, child protection, school children, and teens and young adults. Users can explore information across all 21 counties, providing both yearly information and five-year data trends.

In order to understand where change is needed, communities must start with baseline data. Looking at trends and other relevant data, it can elicit true positive momentum that will give every child a chance to thrive.