Current Childcare Services Policies
April 2022 Provider Notice Attendance Study
December 2021 Family Child Care/Approved Home Rate Increase Provider Letter
November 2021 Reimbursement and Copay Change Provider Lette
November 2021 Reimbursement and Copay Change Parent Letter
Health & Safety Requirement Updates November 2021
Emergency and Disaster Child Care Policy
DFDI – 22-01-01 Differential Payment Extension
2022-2023 COVID-19 Family Differential Payment Provider Notice
2022-2023 COVID-19 Family Differential Payment Parent Notice
2022-2023 COVID-19 Family Differential Payment Parent Notice – Spanish
2022-2023 COVID-19 Family Differential Payment Acknowledgement Form
Child and Family Resource Services (CFRS)
Norwescap Child and Family Resource Services (CFRS) is the designated Child Care Resource and Referral Agency for Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren Counties, by the NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development.
Our mission is to empower families and the community through enhancing the quality and accessibility of early education and by providing information and resources to community services.
Services:
- Administer the childcare subsidy programs in Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren Counties
- Enhance the quality of early education programs through quality initiatives and professional development
- Provide development and education information to families
- Provide free and confidential referrals for families to early education programs and community resources for assistance in housing, food, employment, education and other resources to strengthen families
- Register family childcare providers
- Support in child screening and development provided
Childcare Subsidy
Applying for Childcare Assistance
As an applicant/parent seeking childcare assistance, you will be required to provide proof of income, training/school hours and household size to help determine eligibility. All required documents must be submitted to be considered for assistance.
Applicant(s)/Parents Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a New Jersey resident
- Must meet income requirements and not have assets that exceed $1 million
- Must be working full time (30 hours or more a week), attending school full time (12 credits or more), or in job training (at least 20 hours a week)
Child Eligibility Requirements
- Up to the age of 13, or less than age 19, if under the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency’s protective supervision or mentally or physically incapable of self-care
- Must be a US Citizen or qualified non-citizen
- Must reside with parent(s), or individual(s) acting as parent(s) (in loco parentis)
Provider Eligibility Requirements
- Providers must be either a licensed childcare provider, a registered family childcare provider, or a home or summer camp that is approved by the state
- All providers must complete numerous health and safety trainings and required criminal background checks
Childcare for Homeless Families
Experiencing homelessness and needing childcare services is a challenge. We make it easier for you to receive help paying for childcare even if you don’t have all of the required documents. If you lack a fixed and adequate nighttime residence, you would meet the definition of homeless. Specifically, that means living in:
- Shared housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
- Motels, hotels, or campgrounds because you don’t have alternative accommodations
- Emergency or transitional shelters
- Locations not designed or intended for human sleeping, such as park benches
- Cars, parks, public spaces, bus or train stations, or abandoned buildings
If you are facing one of these situations and are unable to provide the necessary documents with your application, you may have up to six months to submit the required paperwork. During this time, your family can start receiving childcare assistance. If this situation applies to you, please click here.
How to Apply for NJ Childcare Subsidy Brochure in English & Spanish
Applications for Child Care Subsidy:
Applications for Childcare Subsidy: English / Spanish
Quality Initiatives/Professional Development
- Grow NJ Kids (GNJK), New Jersey’s Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS), is New Jersey’s program to raise the quality of childcare and early learning across the state. New Jersey is one of many states to participate in a QRIS.
– Quality Improvement Specialists (QIS) provide the first phase of technical assistance to help improve program quality and navigate through the Grow NJ Kids process.
– For parents, it provides information on selecting a quality provider to help them make the most of their child’s early learning opportunities. To find programs that participate in GNJK, visit the website: http://www.grownjkids.gov/. - Infant/Toddler Specialists (ITS) provide technical assistance and training to all programs serving infants and toddlers.
- Professional Development Specialists (PDS) provide opportunities for training to early childhood professionals in Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties. Training courses address a variety of topics tailored to the needs of individual providers and are listed on NJCCIS.com.
Referrals to Early Education Programs/Community Resources/Child Development Information
There is so much to think about when choosing childcare in New Jersey. Balancing location, cost, quality and just feeling good about the childcare provider can make this important decision challenging. New Jersey’s childcare program, under the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development can provide families with valuable information in making an informed decision: http://www.childcarenj.gov/.
Norwescap CFRS offers families individualized support through:
- Free and confidential referrals to regulated early education and community resources
- Childcare referrals available 24 hours a day online (https://www.childcarenj.gov/Search)
- Childcare specialists are available by phone or in-person during business hours to provide referrals to childcare, community resources and information on child development and parenting
- Available childcare options include all regulated care at Licensed Childcare Centers, Registered Family Childcare Providers, Head Start Programs, School-Age Childcare Programs, Nursery and Pre-K Programs, and Summer Camps
- Outreach events to connect families with resources and each other such as our Books, Balls & Blocks events which assists families in completing children’s developmental screenings and connecting with resources
Norwescap does not endorse or recommend any individual childcare provider. We strongly encourage families to visit and assess each program/provider prior to a final selection of a provider. We will provide families with information and resources in finding quality childcare that best meets their needs.
Online Searches: https://www.childcarenj.gov/Search
Registered Family Childcare Providers
Registered Family Childcare providers care for no more than five children at any one time in their own home. In Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren Counties, Norwescap CFRS provides the free training, support and technical assistance to become registered. An initial, renewal or temporary Certification of Registration will be issued when a provider demonstrates that standards have been met as outlined in the Manual of Requirements. https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/licensing/laws/FCCmanual.pdf
Registered providers are also eligible to free referrals from CFRS, support in meeting quality standards and funding may be available towards quality program enhancements and professional development. Subsidy funding may also be utilized in the following settings:
- Family Friend, Neighbor Providers: These are providers who have been evaluated an approved by the Division of Family Development (DFD) through CFRS and serve no more than two unrelated children for fewer than 24 hours of care per day.
- In-Home: These are providers who have been evaluated and approved by DFD through CFRS to care for the child in their own home for fewer than 24 hours per day.
For more information on completing the application, training, background checks and home inspection required to become registered, please e-mail us at cfrs@norwescap.org or call your local office.
Complaints or concerns about a Registered Family Childcare Provider in Hunterdon, Sussex or Warren County can be emailed to cfrs@norwescap.org or called in to the local CFRS office. All complaints about Registered Family Childcare Providers may be made anonymously.
Inspection reports are now available online: https://childcareexplorer.njccis.com/portal/
Licensed Childcare Information
Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS/DFD) is responsible for promoting safe, affordable and accessible high-quality childcare services in New Jersey. A Licensed Childcare facility is approved by the state Office of Licensing (OOL) for the care, development and supervision of six or more children under 13 years of age who are in care for less than 24 hours a day. Licensed Childcare Centers that are accredited by a national association are programs that have been recognized as high-quality programs. Centers participating in Grow NJ Kids, NJ’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, are programs participating in quality activities to continuously improve their program to meet higher quality standards beyond licensing standards.
Childcare inspection reports are now online. The New Jersey Department of Child and Families has created a searchable online database of nearly 4,000 state licensed childcare centers, enabling parents to search for centers and access a center’s state inspection report: https://childcareexplorer.njccis.com/portal/.
Complaints or concerns about a Licensed Childcare Center should be submitted to the Office of Licensing at (877) 667-9845 or submitted online at https://childcareexplorer.njccis.com/portal/. Complaints may be made anonymously.
Additional Resources:
Child Care in New Jersey (link to http://www.childcarenj.gov )
Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey’s Quality Rating Improvement System, is New Jersey’s program to raise the quality of child care and early learning across the state. (link to http://grownjkids.gov)
Head Start (link to https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/)
Child Care Explorer (link to https://data.nj.gov/childcare_explorer )
For community resources including SNAP, WIC and others: https://www.nj211.org/
Manual of Requirements for Licensed Centers: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/licensing/laws/CCCmanual.pdf
Manual of Requirements for Registered Family Child Care Providers: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/licensing/laws/FCCmanual.pdf
Home Visiting Services: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/families/early/visitation/
New Jersey Early Intervention Services: https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/eis/for-families/when/
New Jersey Children’s System of Care: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/csc/
Grant Providers: https://www.childcarenj.gov/Providers/Grants
COVID-19: https://www.childcarenj.gov/COVID19
In New Jersey, any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to the State Central Registry (SCR). If the child is in immediate danger, call 911 as well as 1-877 NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873). A concerned caller does not need proof to report an allegation of child abuse and can make the report anonymously.