Overview

Why do I need to participate in the Child Care Enrollment Study?
On December 21, 2021, the Governor signed legislation (P.L.2021, c.324) requiring DFD to conduct a mandatory study that compares the cost of basing assistance program payments on attendance to the cost of basing these payments on enrollment. To gather the information needed to complete the study, all child care providers receiving child care assistance funding are required to start recording absences of children receiving assistance program payments.
 
 
Are all child care providers required to participate in this Study?
All provider types who participate in the NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development Child Care Assistance Program are required to participate in the Child Care Enrollment Study. Providers only need to report absences for children who are participating in the DFD Child Care Assistance Program.

Accessing the Enrollment Study

How do I access the Child Care Enrollment Study?
All child care providers who are receiving DFD child care assistance funding will see a link to the Study on their Program Profile in E-Child Care Provider Portal.  When you log into E-Child Care Provider Portal you will see a button to access the Study.
 
 
What browsers can I use to access the Enrollment Study?
You can use any browser except for Internet Explorer. The Child Care Enrollment Study Form will not work using Internet Explorer.

Using the Enrollment Study Form

Do I need to record attendance for each student on my roster?
No. The Child Care Enrollment Study Form is designed to capture student absences. To mark a student absent, use the check box next to the student’s name. Then use the dropdown to select the reason for the student’s absence. Students who do not have a checkmark selected will be counted as present for that date.
 
 
What if I don’t see an enrolled child listed on my roster?
The Enrollment Study is based on agreements that are entered into the E-Child Care Provider Portal.  Data from the Provider Portal is pulled once a month (approximately on the 15th) for the previous month. If a child is enrolled, but does not display for the days they are enrolled, use the “Notes” field to indicate the days that student was absent, including the reason. If you have additional questions about child agreements, contact your CCR&R.
 
 
Why does the number of children on my roster change when selecting specific dates?
The Enrollment Study is based on agreements that are entered into E-Child Care Provider Portal. If a child has an agreement that starts on the 15th of the month, that child will not show in the calendar on the 1st of the month, but instead will show on the date that their agreement starts. If you have additional questions about child agreements, contact your CCR&R.
 
 
When do I need to submit my monthly facility closings and student absence data?
You will submit facility closings and student absence data once a month. You will receive three reminder emails:

  • The first email will let you know you have one week left to record absences;
  • The second email will let you know that a new month is available and the previous month will need to be submitted by the next day; and,
  • The third email, arriving on the morning of the last day you can submit, is your final reminder.

New months will be available approximately in the middle of the month and you will have about a month to record absences. Once you submit the month, you can no longer make changes to that month’s closings or absences.
  
Please note that March is a test month for providers to familiarize themselves with the Enrollment Study and data entered in March will not be used in the Study.

Payments

Will recording student absences in the Child Care Enrollment Study Form affect my child care assistance payments?
No. DFD is extending the COVID-19 child care assistance enrollment-based payments through June 30, 2022. This means tracking child care attendance via swipe cards or phone calls will continue to be on hold and child care providers will continue to be paid based on the number of enrolled children who receive state assistance in their program, rather than attendance. However, if you have changes to your enrollment, you must report these changes as you normally would to your CCR&R.
 
Your participation in the Enrollment Study is required to ensure the collection of sufficient data in order to compare the cost of basing payments on attendance versus payments on enrollment.
 
 
Do I still need to communicate any agreements changes, submit logs, etc. to my local Child Care and Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Agency?
Yes. You will still continue to conduct normal child care assistance business with your local CCR&R including reporting any changes to your enrollment.

Helpful Reminders

Reminder #1
Please ensure your e-child care login and password are updated. If you receive this error message, please reach out to the Provider Help Line at 1-877-516-5776.
Reminder1.png
 
Reminder #2
You will see this error message if you do not have child care agreements in the EPPIC Portal for that month. If you believe this is an error, contact your CCR&R.
Reminder2.png
 
Reminder #3
Providers are responsible for recording the closure days and the absences of children participating in the New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program. Please refer to the User Guide or Tutorial Video if you need step-by-step instructions. 
 
Reminder #4
Review the instructions on the calendar before completing the entering and submitting absences and facility closures.
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Reminder #5
The Child Care Enrollment Study Form calendar does not record absences and facility closures in real time.  You will be entering data for the previous month.
 
Reminder #5
You start by recording your facility closures and then move on to recording children absences.
 
Reminder #7
If you see a child’s name under the “Absences” tab that no longer attends your school during that month, please contact your CCR&R.
 

Additional Help

For E-Child Care (ECC) Provider Portal disabled password resets, contact:
Phone: 1-877-516-5776
 
 
For child agreements questions, contact:
Your local CCR&R.
 
 
For specific questions about the Child Care Enrollment Study including questions about data collection and system concerns, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-609-588-7500
Please allow up to two business days for a response.