COVID-19 Child Care Initiatives Extended Through February 28, 2021

As part of Governor Philip D. Murphy’s Child Care Initiatives in response to COVID-19, the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS/DFD) is extending the following COVID-19 related child care assistance programs through February 28, 2021.

• Full-Time Child Care Assistance for School Age: the division will continue to pay for children approved for full-time care through the NJ Child Care Subsidy Program due to remote learning through February 28, 2021. 
• Child Care Tuition Assistance for School-Age Children: the extension will happen automatically for approved families currently enrolled in your program and who continue to need child care while their child (5-13 years old) attends remote learning through February 28, 2021.
  Payment for child care services in February are scheduled to be issued directly to you beginning mid-February. If you have questions, you may email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 
• Supplemental Payments: the division will issue an additional supplemental payment of $300 per subsidy-eligible child, for February, including infants, preschoolers, toddlers, and school-age children enrolled in your program. More information regarding this payment will come at a later date. 
• Enrollment-based Payment: the division will continue to pay providers based on enrollment rather than attendance through February 28, 2021. 

This was possible due to federal Coronavirus Relief Funds that the administration allocated for child care assistance which under federal law were set to expire at the end of December. However, the newly signed federal legislation extends the deadline for these funds, providing us an opportunity to extend these initiatives through February. We will review the recently signed federal legislation to determine additional actions to support working families and child care providers in the months ahead. 

Should you have any questions, please contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCR&R). Thank you.

See official release here.