How to Apply for Financial Assistance with Child Care

As so many families know, child care costs can take up a lot of the monthly budget. The Child Care Subsidy Program can help lower-income families who are working, in training or in school, or a combination of these activities to pay a portion of their child care.

If you are thinking about or are applying for a child care subsidy, here’s what you need to know.

Applying for a Child Care Subsidy

As an applicant/parent seeking a child care subsidy, you will be required to provide proof of income, training/school hours and household size to help determine eligibility. All required documents must be submitted to be considered for a subsidy.

Applicant(s)/Parents Eligibility Requirements                                                                                         

• Must be a New Jersey resident;
• Must meet income requirements and not have assets that exceed $1 million;
• Must be working full time (30 hours or more a week), attending school full time (12 credits or more), or in job training (at least 20 hours a week); and
• Depending on family size and income, may have to contribute to the cost of care (co-pay).

Child Eligibility Requirements 

• Up to the age of 13, or less than age 19, if under the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency’s protective supervision or mentally or physically incapable of self-care;
• Must be a US Citizen or qualified non-citizen; and
• Must reside with parent(s), or individual(s) acting as parent(s) (in loco parentis).

Provider Eligibility Requirements 

• Providers must be either a licensed child care provider, a registered family child care provider, or a home or summer camp that is approved by the state; and
• All providers must complete numerous health and safety trainings and required criminal background checks.

Completing and Submitting an Application

To get started, you must first complete, sign and submit an application with the required documents to the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency in your county. If you live in Camden County, please mail or drop off your application to:

Camden County Department of Children’s Services
DiPiero Center, Suite 200
512 Lakeland Road
Blackwood, NJ 08012-2946

• Application and Instructions in English
• Aplicación e instrucciones en Espanol
• How to Apply for NJ Child Care Subsidy in English
• Cómo solicitar un subsidio para el cuidado infantile en Espanol

For additional information and forms, please click here 

Child Care for Homeless Families

Experiencing homelessness and needing child care services is a challenge.  We make it easier for you to receive help paying for child care even if you don’t have all of the required documents.  If you lack a fixed and adequate nighttime residence, you meet the definition of homeless.  Specifically, that means living in:

• Shared housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
• Motels, hotels, or campgrounds because you don’t have alternative accommodations;
• Emergency or transitional shelters;
• Locations not designed or intended for human sleeping, such as park benches; or
• Cars, parks, public spaces, bus or train stations, or abandoned buildings.

If you are facing one of these situations and are unable to provide all of the necessary documents with your application, you may be granted up to a six-month extension to submit the required paperwork.  During this time, your family may start receiving child care assistance.  For additional information, please contact us at childcareinfo@camdencounty.com.