New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 10 - HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 15 - CHILD CARE SERVICES
Subchapter 6 - CONTRACTED CHILD CARE CENTERS
Section 10:15-6.3 - Priorities for admission

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 10:15-6.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) The three priorities specified in this section establish additional criteria for the admission of children who are eligible for subsidized child care services funded through contracts maintained by the DFD.

1. Priority 1: A child under the CPS supervision of the CP & P and who is identified as eligible to receive subsidized child care services as part of an approved case plan.
i. A CP & P case manager shall use the following criteria to determine when subsidized child care is needed:
(1) The child is living in the home of the parent(s) or legally responsible persons and the need for child care services is related to preventing neglect or abuse; rehabilitating the family; preventing a crisis or disruption in the family; preventing the need for the CP & P out of home placement services; or meeting identified developmental special needs of the child.

(2) The child is living in the home of individuals who are not the birth parents, but who have voluntarily assumed responsibility for the care of a child or who have legal custody of a child, and no payment is received for the maintenance of the child from the CP & P. The need for child care services is related to preventing a crisis or disruption in the family; preventing the need for the CP & P out of home placement services; meeting identified developmental special needs of the child; or to prepare for family reunification.

(3) The child is in a CP & P out-of-home placement or CP & P para care home and the need for child care services is related to sustaining the placement.
(A) The employment, education or training status of the applicant and co-applicant, or applicant in a single foster parent family;

(B) One applicant is employed, attending school, or participating in a job training program leading to employment and the co-applicant (or applicant in a single foster parent family) is responsible for the care of another child in the home who is physically incapacitated or mentally challenged; or

(C) Child care services are needed to meet identified developmental special needs of the child.

ii. Income eligibility criteria for a Priority 1 child, as defined in (a)1i above, is without regard to income, if family income exceeds eligibility limits;

iii. Income eligibility criteria for a Priority 1 child, as defined in (a)1i above, shall be determined on the basis of the following criteria:
(1) The child shall constitute a family of one with $ 0.00 income;

(2) Two (or more) of these children with $ 0.00 income who are siblings residing in the same private household shall constitute that family's size.

iv. The CP & P case manager or applicant is required to provide all annual family gross income and family size information requested and supporting documentation needed to verify eligibility for subsidized child care service, such as employment, education or training status, which is required for payment or reimbursement purposes and/or to meet reporting requirements mandated by State or Federal regulations. While the income of the foster parents' is not needed for determining eligibility, it is needed for Federal reporting.

v. The CP & P case manager or child care liaison shall notify the contracted child care center, in advance, in writing, of the closing of a CPS case of an enrolled child.

vi. Subsidized child care services may not be discontinued for a Priority 1 child after the case is closed by the CP & P, if there is an identifiable need for subsidized child care and the family continues to meet the income eligibility and need criteria for Priority 2 or 3, as specified in N.J.A.C. 10:15-6.4 and 6.5.

2. Priority 2: Priority placement consideration for subsidized child care services or service shall be given to a child who is not under the child protective service supervision of the CP & P and who has been initially determined eligible on the basis of the annual gross family income for the family size, as indicated in Entrance Tiers A, B and C. One parent/applicant in a single parent family or both parents in two parent families shall also meet the following conditions in order for the child to be considered eligible for Priority 2 placement:
i. The parents work full-time, attend a full-time school or training program directed toward employment, or whose combination of work and school/training equals a full-time work/school/training equivalent. Full-time work means work for 30 or more hours per week. Full-time school or job training means either 12 or more credit hours per term at a college or university or nine or more credit hours during summer semester.

ii. One parent/applicant is employed or attends class full-time and the co-applicant (or the applicant in a single parent family) is physically or mentally incapacitated and due to the extent of the condition, is unable to care for the child or the ability to provide care for the child is significantly limited and assistance is required.

iii. The child is identified by the CWA, BSS or CCR & R as eligible to receive subsidized child care services or service because both parents (or the only applicant in a single parent family) participate in an approved employment-related activity, as part of the WFNJ Program.

3. Priority 3: Priority placement consideration for subsidized child care service shall be given to a child who is not under the child protective service supervision of the CP & P and who has been initially determined eligible on the basis of the annual gross family income for the family size, as indicated in the entrance tiers that follow. One or both parents in two parent families (or the parent/applicant in a single parent family) shall:
i. Be employed 20 or more hours per week, but less than 30 hours per week or attend a school or training program directed toward employment; or

ii. Attend a school or training program directed toward employment. School or job training is defined as less than six credit hours per term at a college or university, as part of a two-year associate degree program or four-year baccalaureate degree program; or between 10 to 20 class hours per week (averaged over a four-week period) for secondary or remedial education programs, summer college, or occupational or vocational training programs and apprenticeships which enhance a person's specific job or trade.

(b) In the event a parent/applicant is involved in more than one employment or training activity, the sum of the multiple activities must exceed the hourly work/school/training equivalent for Priority 2 or 3.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.