In an effort to make New Jersey child care more accessible and affordable, the 19th district legislators are exploring a number of reforms that would help the State better meet the needs of families and children, child care providers and staff.
Sen. Joe Vitale, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez list child care among their top legislative priorities. The pandemic not only highlighted the link between child care and the economy, but also shined a light on shortcomings in the current system, they say.
Child care is important to New Jersey families and a key driver of economic growth, being both a necessary mechanism for returning parents to the workforce and a sector that employs thousands of New Jerseyans, Coughlin said, noting child care is a key component in his five-issue agenda.
“The critical importance of child care to promoting developmental well-being as well as to our economic recovery is unquestionable,” the Assembly Speaker added. “Helping parents return to the workforce requires accessibility of quality and affordable care, and determining the most meaningful course for legislative action to ensure the robustness of the industry is of paramount importance.”
Last year, the lawmakers successfully pushed for the passage of a bill that provided $100 million in grants and technical assistance to child care providers. In addition, they were successful in extending a temporary policy of reimbursing providers based on enrollment, rather than attendance, as part of the state’s Child Care Subsidy Program, through June 2022.
“As parents of two children eligible for child care, my wife and I appreciate the needs of parents who require quality, convenient, yet affordable child care,” Vitale added. “The pandemic has put into sharp focus the long-standing challenges of accessing and affording these services. I look forward to further working with my colleagues, parent advocates and child care providers to research and design potential solutions.”
Lopez, in partnership with Vitale, has introduced bills to stabilize the state’s child care infrastructure. Proposed legislation would ensure registered family day care providers are eligible to receive enhanced incentive payments based on their quality rating in the Grow NJ Kids program. Another bill would encourage child care staff retention by providing a gross income tax credit for employees.
“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us the relationship between childcare and a thriving economy,” Lopez said. “As a former nonprofit executive providing childcare services in Perth Amboy, I know firsthand the struggles many providers continue to face. I am eager to work alongside Senator Vitale and Speaker Coughlin to develop meaningful policy to help support childcare providers and ensure that all New Jersey families have access to high quality and affordable childcare.”
After meeting in March with local child care providers in Iselin, the three lawmakers also noted the pressing need to address child care deserts. The problem of child care availability is exacerbated by the pandemic-induced closures of hundreds of centers statewide.
The legislators are also looking to advance additional reforms that address the cost and accessibility of child care. Vitale said he is focused on expanding eligibility in the State’s Child Care Subsidy program and increasing the number of infant and toddler seats wherever needed.
“You know it’s a problem when families do the math and find out it’s more economical for one parent to stay home and save on the child care costs than reenter the workforce,” Vitale said. “We need to do more to make high quality child care affordable. Parents should not be forced to stay home because they can’t afford child care or because there isn’t a quality program in their area.”
