New Jersey Families Get Good News on Childcare Financial Aid

As part of the new Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget signed by Governor Phil Murphy, the state is making permanent the Child Care Financial Provision that was originally a temporary assistance bestowed during the COVID-19 Pandemic Financial Assistance Programs.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 Lockdowns, the Federal and State Governments furnished different financial aid programs to assist families and businesses in a problematic economic environment. One of those Financial Aids came in the form of supplemental payments to Child Care Providers to ensure they can financially continue to operate and incentivize Parents to use the services that were mainstream in the Pre-COVID world we lived in.

The Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget invests $112 Million to make permanent this financial aid program that simultaneously covers childcare costs for parents while also ensuring Child Care Providers are receiving a consistent payment per child enrolled in their services. This budget allocation continues to supply payment of $300 for full-time care, or $150 for part-time care per child per month.

According to a press release by New Jersey's Department of Human Services, this $112 Million allocated by the new budget allows the following services to be continued benefiting Families and Child Care Providers:

*Continue the $300 (full-time care) or $150 (part-time care) supplemental payment.
*Continue paying childcare providers based on enrollment rather than attendance.
*Continue waiving copayments for families.
*Bolster training and technical assistance for school districts that enroll in the Grow NJ

Kids program, which supports quality child care and early learning.
For many families, Child Care Providers are essential for working parents who want the security of knowing someone they can trust is caring for their kids, and for numerous parents, the financial burden of paying for these childcare services is a major strain. This news is great for them and takes one less worry off their shoulders.

For more information about the childcare programs that are offered in the state of New Jersey, visit ChildCare.gov