Households throughout the state are facing financial struggles that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that force families to choose between paying for quality childcare and other household expenses. Meanwhile, for childcare centers and home-based providers, the cost to offer high-quality programs has steadily increased, effectively stretching New Jersey’s childcare system. The United Way of Northern New Jersey is leading the United in Care project to provide safe, affordable and high-quality care for New Jersey children in communities whose few infant and toddler care options have further dwindled amid the current health crisis.

This one-year grant will help support the United Way of Northern New Jersey to build a Family Child Care Network using a shared service “hub-and-spoke” approach to connect center-based childcare providers and registered, home-based providers in Gloucester and Warren counties. Participating childcare providers will receive support to engage and enroll families in accessible childcare and reallocate resources across providers.

Over the long-term, this pilot program could establish a solution of connecting two mainstays of the childcare system and leveraging the strengths of each to make high-quality early childhood education more accessible to families in underserved communities. This work could also improve community health by aligning existing early childhood education policies and resources to benefit New Jersey families.