Murphy Administration Announces $54 Million Investment in Child Care

TRENTON – First Lady Tammy Murphy and New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson sept. 5 announced, in a release, that families throughout the state who receive support from New Jersey’s childcare subsidy program will see $54 million ($30 million federal; $24 million state) in increased funding as part of the Murphy Administration’s continued effort to help working families in New Jersey.
Subsidies will increase by as much as 10 percent, depending on the age of the child, and will be implemented in two phases, with the first installment occurring this month and the second in January. Added funding is available to support and incentivize quality improvement among childcare providers.
“A mother should never have to choose between paying her rent and keeping her baby in quality childcare” stated First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Investing in childcare is a critical component to reducing maternal and infant mortality as well as a commitment to New Jersey families, gender equality, and the general wellbeing of our children.”
The Murphy Administration is making childcare a priority given its central role in supporting working families and the importance of quality care in early childhood development.
The announcement builds on the 2018 Murphy Administration investment of $30 million to increase rates for childcare – the first substantial increase in childcare center rates in nearly a decade.   
Altogether, support for infant care will have increased by nearly 40 percent under the Murphy Administration – from about $724 a month to $994 by Jan. 1. 
For parents who select an infant care provider with a three-star quality rating from the Grow NJ Kids quality improvement program, that rate will have jumped even further, reaching $1,093. 
Under the Murphy Administration, toddler care rates will have risen from $717 to $830 per month and pre-school rates will have risen from $585 to $690 per month by January, with higher rates for quality rated programs. 
“Quality, affordable childcare is what working families want and need to succeed in New Jersey,” Johnson stated. “The Murphy Administration is making childcare a priority because we know that it is hard to be successful at work or in school if you don’t have confidence that your children are getting the care they need. We owe it to our families who are striving every day to get on the best possible financial footing to give them the peace of mind that comes from quality childcare. Plus, investing in childcare simply makes good economic sense to help continue to build and support our state’s workforce, attract new businesses and grow our economy.”
“This latest investment in families, children and childcare providers is critical to our state,” Deputy Commissioner Elisa Neira stated. “The Murphy Administration is dedicated to increasing access to affordable childcare for New Jersey families so they can get the childcare they need while they work or attend school or training.” 
New Jersey’s childcare subsidy program helps families with lower-to-moderate incomes who are working, in training or school afford childcare. 
About 5,000 childcare providers in New Jersey participate in the program, which serves approximately 100,000 children per year. The childcare rate increases announced today come as the state’s minimum wage rises and will also help childcare providers support wage increases. 
Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey’s Quality Rating Improvement System, is New Jersey’s program to raise the quality of childcare and early learning across the state. Grow NJ Kids gives childcare and early learning programs resources to assess and improve their programs, while providing parents with information that allows them to evaluate the quality of programs and make the best choices for their child.
 “Children who are in quality early learning programs when they are young are better prepared with better reading and math skills,” said Natasha Johnson, Assistant Commissioner of Human Services’ Division of Family Development. 
“Grow NJ Kids is helping New Jersey’s childcare providers enhance program quality, and these new investments in quality further reward their success.”