ALERT!
Please be aware that there have been reports of potentially harmful emails claiming to be from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Office of Licensing, most of these had a subject line reading "DCF Office of Licensing New Jersey (License)".
These emails are NOT from DCF and the attachments should not be opened. All email correspondence from the Office of Licensing will be sent from email addresses ending in @dcf.nj.gov or [email protected].
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The recertification period for the Thriving by Three Infant and Toddler Child Care Grant for Registered Family Child Care providers is October 15, 2024 through January 15, 2025.
DFD is offering webinars in both English and Spanish that review everything you need to know to complete the recertification process. Please register to attend one of the webinars using the links below. Your attendance is strongly recommended.
English session: Monday, October 7, 2024, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m REGISTER NOW!
Spanish session: Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. REGISTER NOW!
Payment of the Year 2 award is scheduled to occur 12 months after payment of the initial grant award. However, to receive the Year 2 payment, your program
MUST be enrolled in Grow NJ Kids (GNJK) before recertification. Programs are considered enrolled in GNJK after they have completed the GNJK Orientation. Recertification for Year 2 is only available for providers who were approved for Year 1 of the grant.
Completing the GNJK enrollment process may take up to 60 days, so the time to act is now! Technical assistance is available to help you enroll and support you through the process. To enroll in Grow NJ Kids, go to
www.NJCCIS.com and log in with your provider credentials. In your Quicklinks, select the GNJK tab to begin the enrollment process. Step-by-step instructions are available on the
GNJK website. If you have questions or need support, contact the Quality Improvement Specialist at your
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency.
Registered Family Child Care Provider - Eligibility Summary
Eligible Providers must:
- Comply with state and federal health and safety requirements for registered family child care providers.
- Comply with the current family child care registration standards for infant and toddler child care, including, but not limited to, child-to-staff ratios and health and safety standards;
- Be in good standing (no enforcement action and/or funding misrepresentation investigation or misuse of funds);
- Use the funds to develop or expand quality child care spaces for infant and toddlers, and
- Participate or apply to participate in the state's child care quality rating and improvement system, Grow NJ Kids, no later than 12 months after initial grant approval.
Registered Family Child Care Provider - Grant Awards (subject to availability of funds)
Year 1
This initial award is available to all eligible providers.
Approved providers will receive an initial minimum grant award of $3,000 per new infant or toddler child care slot created, of which $1,000 must be provided to a second caregiver, either the alternate provider, substitute or the assistant, as required to meet child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration.
In Year 1, if not already enrolled in, or rated by, Grow NJ Kids, providers must enroll within 12 months.
Applicants must complete a Needs Assessment (a CCR&R Infant/Toddler Specialist will contact the provider to complete this assessment). Based on the results of the assessment, providers may be eligible for a separate one-time grant of $1,200 to purchase additional infant/toddler supplies/equipment/materials or address health and safety violations. The provider does not need to submit a separate application for the one-time $1,200 grant. Payment of the additional one-time $1,200 grant will be made through the Infant/Toddler Specialist Network and will be issued separately from the initial Thriving by Three Grant award.
Year 2
If you are already rated three-, four-, or five-stars in Grow NJ Kids at the start of Year 2 you are not eligible for the $1,200 per slot grant award, however, you are eligible to receive $300 per newly created and enrolled slot.
Providers who have not yet reached a Grow NJ Kids three-, four-, or five-star rating at the start of Year 2 will receive an additional minimum grant of $1,200 per new infant or toddler slot. $400 from the award must be directed for staff, as required to meet child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration. This will be awarded 12 months following the date of the initial grant award and is dependent on the providers’ enrollment and active engagement in Grow NJ Kids.
Providers must be enrolled in GNJK and must have completed orientation to be eligible for Year 2 funds.
During the second year providers must:
- Complete a Grow NJ Kids Self-Assessment;
- Complete a Grow NJ Kids Quality Improvement Plan; and
- Submit a Grow NJ Kids Rating Readiness form to initiate the rating process
Year 3
If you are already rated three-, four-, or five-stars in Grow NJ Kids at the start of Year 3 you are not eligible for the $1,200 per slot grant award, however, you are eligible to receive $300 per newly created and enrolled slot.
Providers who have not yet reached a Grow NJ Kids three-, four-, or five-star rating at the start of Year 3 will receive an additional minimum grant of $1,200 per new infant or toddler slot. $400 from the award must be directed for staff, as required to meet child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration. This will be awarded 12 months following the date of the initial grant award and is dependent on the providers’ active engagement in Grow NJ Kids.
During the third year, providers must have all newly created slots filled by the end of Year 3.
Year 3 grant award payment is contingent upon completion of the Grow NJ Kids Self-Assessment, Quality Improvement Plan, and submission for Grow NJ Kids rating.
Registered Family Child Care Provider - Approved Uses of Grant Funds
Thriving by Three Infant and Toddler Child Care Grant funds may be spent in the following approved categories:
- Equipment/furniture, including evacuation cribs, changing tables, strollers, mats, tables, high chairs, rocking chairs, toddler size tables/chairs, outdoor equipment, sinks, refrigerators, etc.
- Materials/toys/supplies
- Staff/recruitment/hiring, including advertisement, hiring bonus, salary, etc.
- Other needs, including professional development, technical assistance – room arrangement/spacing, regulatory technical assistance, quality improvement technical assistance, etc.
Awards are subject to the availability of funds.
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Recertification Questionnaire How-To Video
10/4/24