Division of Child Care Resources
Get Help Paying for Child Care with CCAP
New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps income-eligible families who are working, attending school, or participating in job training pay for child care. CCAP is a State program that is managed locally by Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies. There is a CCR&R in every county. The Bergen County Division of Child Care Resources (formerly Office for Children) is the CCR&R in Bergen County.
Getting Started is Easy
To get started, visit https://www.childcarenj.gov/, where you can:
- Learn about the program and eligibility requirements.
- Use the eligibility calculator to see if you may qualify.
- When you’re ready, get connected to the State’s secure application system, MyNJHelps, to apply.
Applying
- You will need to create an account to apply.
- If you have previously created a MyNJHelps account to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Work Frist New Jersey (WFNJ), use your previously created username and password to sign in.
- You will not be able to upload documents online if you are applying for CCAP only. If you choose to apply for SNAP and/or WFNJ as well as CCAP, you will be able to upload documents but the uploaded documents will only be used for SNAP/WFNJ verification. You will still need to submit any required documents for CCAP verification to The Bergen County Division of Child Care Resources.
What to Expect After You Apply
After you submit your application, The Bergen County Division of Child Care Resources representative will:
- Contact you with next steps and let you know which documents are required.
- Provide instructions on how to submit them.
- Help you complete the application process.
Once you’ve submitted all required documents, The Bergen County Division of Child Care Resources will review your application and make an eligibility decision within 30 days.
If you need help at any point, please contact us at ofc@bergencountynj.gov or 201-336-7150 for assistance.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to empower Bergen County families by enabling them to provide their children with high-quality child care that fosters healthy childhood development. Additionally, we are committed to supporting the child care community through comprehensive education and training programs.
Services
Hours of operation
M-F 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Early and late hours available by appointment. Please call 201-336-7150
For Families
For Child Care Providers
- Family Child Care Providers
- Providers who accept Child Care Subsidy
- Grow NJ Kids
- Infant/Toddler Network
- Professional Development
- Adult/Pediatric CPR, First Aid and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Training
Updates and News
Should read: The monthly CCR Director’s Meetings are scheduled every third Saturday of every month from 9:00am-10:00am virtually on Zoom. No meetings in December, April & July. Please register on NJCCIS, or contact nmelendez@bergencountynj.gov. Hope to see you there!
Copayments are resuming, your child care provider will begin collecting copayments from you starting August 1, 2024.
If you are a family receiving child care assistance through New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, federal law requires families to share in the cost of child care using a sliding fee scale (meaning cost is adjusted depending on your income). This fee is known as copayment or copay. For more information https://www.childcarenj.gov/Parents/CCAP/ImportantInfo.
- Provider Copayment Resumption Letter from DFD: DFDi 24-06-01 CC-238
- Parent Letter, Copayment Policies and FAQs from DFD: DFDi 24-06-01 CC-237
Child Care Market Rate Survey for 2023
The New Jersey, Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, Office of Child Care Operations (DHS/DFD/OCCO) is required by the Federal Government to conduct a Child Care Market Rate Study for 2023. The data collected by this survey will provide valuable information related to child care market prices, expenses associated with the implementation of health, safety, and staffing requirements, and the cost of higher-quality care. DHS/DFD/OCCO will use the data collected through this process to inform policy and budget planning for the State’s child care assistance program. Child care provider participation is critical.
Provider Notice from DFD on Health and Safety Training Requirements (issued 05/04/2023)
Division of Family Development
- CC-198 Notification of Change Form
- CC-198s Notification of Change Form (Spanish)
- IT 25-31 Updated CC-198 Notification of Change Form
- DFDI 25-02-05 – Rate Increases Licensed Centers, Family Child Care Providers, and Summer Youth Camps
- March 2025 Rate Charts
- March 2025 Rate Charts in Spanish
- Provider Letter Rate Increase
- Provider Letter Rate Increase in Spanish
The DHS/DFD Policy of payment based on enrollment rather than attendance for children in the Child Care Assistance Program has been extended through June 2023.
New website by the State of New Jersey designed to help residents, small businesses, nonprofits and local governments replace or rebuild damage due to storms and to prepare for future storms: DisasterHelp.nj.gov
Attendance and Enrollment Study
The Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development will launch a Child Care Enrollment Study Form to collect attendance for a study comparing the costs of enrollment vs. attendance-based assistance programs.
- Provider Notice for the Attendance and Enrollment Data Collection Study
- Provider Notice for the Attendance and Enrollment Data Collection Study (Spanish)
- DFDI Program Instruction 22-03-05
Grow NJ Kids tiered reimbursement now includes Family Child Care Providers (FCCs)
- Division of Family Development Instruction sheet and new rates
- Letter to Family Care Providers announcing new rates for Quality
Links
- NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development Website
- Grow NJ Kids Website
- Searching for Child Care
- Licensed Child Care Center Explorer
- Head Start and the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center Website
- Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone? View guidelines (Spanish) and things to consider in making this difficult decision.