9.2 Consumer Education Website

Lead Agencies must provide information to parents, the general public, and child care providers through a State or Territory website, which is consumer-friendly and easily accessible for families who speak languages other than English and persons with disabilities. The website must: • Include information to assist families in understanding the Lead Agency’s policies and procedures, including licensing child care providers; • Include monitoring and inspection reports for each provider and, if available, the quality of each provider; • Provide the aggregate number of deaths, serious injuries, and the number of cases of substantiated child abuse that have occurred in child care settings; • Include contact information for local CCR&R organizations to help families access additional information on finding child care; and • Include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency and other organizations to better understand the information on the website. 9.2.1 Consumer-friendly website Does the Lead Agency ensure that its consumer education website is consumer-friendly and easily accessible? i. Provide the URL for the Lead Agency’s consumer education website homepage: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for families who speak languages other than English? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: iii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for persons with disabilities? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.2.2 Additional consumer education website links Provide the direct URL/website link for the following: i. Provide the direct URL/website link to how the Lead Agency licenses child care providers: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/Parents/Licensing ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the processes for conducting monitoring and inspections of child care providers:: https://www.childcarenj.gov/Providers/CCAP iii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers: https://www.childcarenj.gov/Providers/CCAP iv. Provide the direct URL/website link to the offenses that prevent individuals from being employed by a child care provider: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/Parents/Licensing#8aanchor 9.2.3 Searchable list of providers a. The consumer education website must include a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code. i. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website includes a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the list of child care providers searchable by ZIP code: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/Search iii. In addition to the licensed child care providers that must be included in the searchable list, are there additional providers included in the Lead Agency’s searchable list of child care providers? Check all that apply: [ ] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. [x] License-exempt family child care CCDF providers. [ ] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. [ ] Relative CCDF child care providers. [x] Other (e.g., summer camps, public pre-Kindergarten). Describe: Summer Youth Camps b. Identify what additional (optional) information, if any, is available in the searchable results by ZIP code. Check the box when information is provided. Provider Information Available in Searchable Results -- All licensed providers License- exempt CCDF center- based provide rs License- exempt CCDF family child care home provide rs License- exempt non- CCDF provider s Relative CCDF providers Contact information [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Enrollment capacity [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Hours, days, and months of operation [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Provider education and training [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Languages spoken by the caregiver [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Quality information [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Monitoring reports [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Willingness to accept CCDF certificates [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Ages of children served [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Specialization or training for certain populations [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Care provided during nontraditional hours [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] c. Identify any other information searchable on the consumer education website for the child care provider type listed below and then, if checked, describe the searchable information included on the website. i. [ ] All licensed providers. Describe: ii. [ ] License-exempt CCDF center-based providers. Describe: iii. [ ] License-exempt CCDF family child care providers. Describe: iv. [ ] License-exempt, non-CCDF providers. Describe: v. [ ] Relative CCDF providers. Describe: vi. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.4 Provider-specific quality information Lead Agencies must identify specific quality information on each child care provider for whom they have this information. Provider-specific quality information must only be posted on the consumer education website if it is available for the individual child care provider. a. What specific quality information does the Lead Agency provide on the website? i. [x] Quality improvement system. ii. [x] National accreditation. iii. [ ] Enhanced licensing system. iv. [ ] Meeting Head Start/Early Head Start Program Performance Standards. v. [ ] Meeting pre-Kindergarten quality requirements. vi. [ ] School-age standards. vii. [x] Quality framework or quality improvement system. viii. [ ] Other. Describe: b. For what types of child care providers is quality information available? i. [x] Licensed CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: DHS/DFD consumer website provides information about resources, grants, QRIS, trainings and technical assistance available to providers enrolled in New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program and/or Grow NJ Kids, quality rating improvement system, which also has its own website at https://www.grownjkids.gov/. DHS/DFD also post information about grants, which is available to all providers. ii. [x] Licensed non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: DHS/DFD consumer website provides information about resources, grants, QRIS, trainings and technical assistance available to providers enrolled in New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program and/or Grow NJ Kids, quality rating improvement system, which also has its own website at https://www.grownjkids.gov/. Grants and information are also posted. iii. [ ] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: iv. [x] License-exempt FCC CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: DHS/DFD consumer website provides information about resources, grants, QRIS, trainings and technical assistance available to providers enrolled in New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program and/or Grow NJ Kids, quality rating improvement system, which also has its own website at https://www.grownjkids.gov/. DHS/DFD also posts information about grants, which is available to all providers. v. [x] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: DHS/DFD consumer website provides information about resources, grants, QRIS, trainings and technical assistance available to providers enrolled in New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program and/or Grow NJ Kids, quality rating improvement system, which also has its own website at https://www.grownjkids.gov/. DHS/DFD also posts information about grants, which is available to all providers. vi. [ ] Relative child care providers. Describe the quality information: vii. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.5 Aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated abuse Lead Agencies must post aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of child abuse that have occurred in child care settings each year on the consumer education website. This aggregate data must include information about any child in the care of a provider eligible to receive CCDF, not just children receiving subsidies. This aggregate information on serious injuries and deaths must be separated by category of care (e.g., centers, family child care homes, and in-home care) and licensing status (i.e., licensed or license-exempt) for all eligible CCDF child care providers in the State/Territory. The information on instances of substantiated child abuse does not have to be organized by category of care or licensing status. Information must also include the total number of children in care by provider type and licensing status, so that families can better understand the data presented on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of abuse. a. Certify by checking below that the required elements are included in the Aggregate Data Report on serious incident data that have occurred in child care settings each year. i. [x] The total number of serious injuries of children in care by provider category and licensing status. ii. [x] The total number of deaths of children in care by provider category and licensing status. iii. [x] The total number of substantiated instances of child abuse in child care settings. iv. [x] The total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status. v. If any of the above elements are not included, describe: b. Certify by providing: i. The designated entity to which child care providers must submit reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in child care and describe how the Lead Agency obtains the aggregate data from the entity: For centers and family child care providers, this data is collected by the DCF Office of Licensing and Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit (IAIU). Data of serious injuries are documented on inspection reports; and DCF/OOL submits data updating Quality Performance Report (QPR). Additionally, DCF/OOL submits an annual report to DHS/DFD of serious injuries and deaths. CCR&Rs, as the sponsor agencies for OOL for registered family child care, and DHS/DFD for Approved Homes, also obtain data for serious injuries, which is documented on inspection reports and incident reports. Summer Youth camps are required to report accidents resulting in death or serious injury using the "Annual Accident Report Youth Camp Safety Act" form. Youth camps are required to submit this form to the Department of Health (DOH) with their renewal application as a condition of the youth camp certificate approval process. An annual report is submitted to DHS/DFD by DOH, who monitors and enforces the Youth Camp Safety Act Standard. ii. The definition of “substantiated child abuse” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.9 defines an abused child as follows: a child under the age of 18 years whose parent, guardian, or other person having his custody and control: a. Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon such child physical injury by other than accidental means which causes or creates a substantial risk of death, or serious or protracted disfigurement, or protracted impairment of physical or emotional health or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ; b. Creates or allows to be created a substantial or ongoing risk of physical injury to such child by other than accidental means which would be likely to cause death or serious or protracted disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ; or c. Commits or allows to be committed an act of sexual abuse against the child; d. Or a child whose physical, mental, or emotional condition has been impaired or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired as the result of the failure of his parent or guardian, or such other person having his custody and control, to exercise a minimum degree of care (1) in supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, medical or surgical care though financially able to do so or though offered financial or other reasonable means to do so, or (2) in providing the child with proper supervision or guardianship, by unreasonably inflicting or allowing to be inflicted harm, or substantial risk thereof, including the infliction of excessive corporal punishment or using excessive physical restraint under circumstances which do not indicate that the child’s behavior is harmful to himself, others or property; or by any act of a similarly serious nature requiring the aid of the court; e. Or a child who has been willfully abandoned by his parent or guardian, or such other person having his custody and control; f. Or a child who is in an institution as defined in section 1 of P.L. 1974, c. 119 (C. 9:6-8.21) and (1) has been so placed inappropriately for a continued period of time with the knowledge that the placement has resulted and may continue to result in harm to the child's mental or physical well-being or (2) has been willfully isolated from ordinary social contact under circumstances which indicate emotional or social deprivation. A substantiated case of child abuse would be an instance of abuse as defined above that is investigated and determined to be true. iii. The definition of “serious injury” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: N.J. Statue 34:15-37.6 As used in P.L.2017, c.93 (C.34:15-37.1 et seq.), "serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. An injury requiring professional medical care. c. Provide the direct URL/website link to the page where the aggregate number of serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated child abuse, and the total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status are posted: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/Resources/Reports 9.2.6 Contact information on referrals to local child care resource and referral organizations The Lead Agency consumer education website must include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations. a. Does the consumer education website include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations? [x] Yes. [ ] No. [ ] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have local CCR&R organizations. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/CCRR 9.2.7 Lead Agency contact information for parents The Lead Agency consumer and provider education website must include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs that can help the parent understand information included on the website. a. Does the website provide directions on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs to help them understand information included on the website? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: (https://www.ChildCareNJ.gov/Contact) ￿ This information is in the footer of the website and is available on every page. We also have a Contact Us page, where a message can be sent to the NJ Division of Family Development, Office of Child Care. 9.2.8 Posting sliding fee scale, co-payment amount, and policies for waiving co-payments The consumer education website must include the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co- payments. a. Does the Lead Agency certify that their consumer education website includes the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co-payments? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to the sliding fee scale. https://www.childcarenj.gov/ChildCareNJ/media/media_library/Copayment_Schedule.pdf