Our Programs

Child Care Resource and Referral
We offer a free child care referral service utilizing our extensive database of child care available in Ocean County. In addition to referrals, we offer brochures that contain child care checklists to help you make an informed decision about child care. You can find these checklists in the brochures section. One brochure deals with selecting a family child care provider; the other may help you make a decision to use a child care center licensed by the NJ DCF Office of Licensing – all based on your child’s individual needs. For more information contact Barbara Schoen via telephone at (732) 557-9633, ext. 105 or via e-mail at . The referrals are free and confidential and not a recommendation. This agency does not license, endorse or recommend any specific provider. It is the responsibility of the parent to meet with providers in order to determine the child care arrangements which best suits his/her needs. Click here for the Request for Child Care Referral form.

Family Child Care Registration
CHS is the sponsoring agency for the N.J. Department of Children & Families Office of Licensing for family child care registration. A trained provider provides care in a private residence for 5 or fewer children at one time. Our agency conducts inspections as well as curriculum and program observations. Providers must attend eight hours of pre-service training. For more information about this program, please contact Joanne Nelson via telephone at (732) 557-9633, ext. 131 or via e-mail at . Click here to for more information about regulations for Family Child Care Registration.

Child Care Food Program
Registered family child care providers can participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s program offering reimbursement for certain food costs. For details, contact Linda Shoemaker at 1(800) CHS-OFNJ or via e-mail at . Click here for a program description from the Department of Agriculture.

New Jersey Cares for Kids Subsidy
New Jersey Cares for Kids program helps low and middle income families pay for the cost of child care if they are eligible. Parents must work at least 30 hours per week in a full-time or two part-time jobs, attend college or a training program full-time, or hold a part-time job and a part-time school schedule equaling full time. Parents pay a portion of the child care cost, based on their income and family size, NJCK pays the balance up to the state maximum. For more information contact Stephanie Claus via telephone at (732) 557-9633 ext. 110 or via e-mail at . Click here for income guidelines from the Department of Human Services.

Kinship Child Care Subsidy
Kinship is a subsidy offered through the New Jersey Cares for Kids program that helps relatives who have custody of a relative’s child(ren) pay for child care. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, etc. may be able to receive assistance through this program. For more information contact Michele Smith via telephone at (732) 557-9633 ext. 141 or via e-mail at .

Work First NJ Child Care Assistance
Families who are receiving public assistance through the Work First NJ program are eligible to receive help paying for child care while working or participating in an approved job or training activity. Child care assistance may continue for up to two years after the participant is employed and is no longer receiving public assistance. If still eligible, the parent is automatically enrolled in the NJCK program following WFNJ. For more information, please call Maureen Lawrence at (732) 557-9633 ext 101 or via email . Clients are referred to our agency from the Ocean County Board of Social Services.

Post Adoption Child Care Subsidy
Post Adoption Child Care funds are to help facilitate the adoption of children in foster placement. The program is available for children in foster care whose adoption was finalized after December 31, 2004. Child care can continue without co-payment until August 31 of the contract year of the child’s sixth birthday or the start of kindergarten. To be eligible the parent(s) must be employed full time or engaged in school or training full time. For more formation, please call Sara Lemig at (732) 557-9633 ext 114 or via email .

Special Needs Child Care Network
We are the only county in the State that has a Special Needs Family Child Care Network. The Network is comprised of registered providers who have received specialized training in several key areas of developmental delays, medical or physical disabilities, etc. We also offer respite care for parents with a child with special needs when funding is available. There is no fee, and the care is provided according to the parent’s schedule. For more information please contact Joanne Nelson via telephone at (732) 557-9633 ext. 131 via e-mail at .

Health and Safety in Child Care
Our office employs a full-time registered nurse on staff. As the Child Care Health Consultant Coordinator, she works with infant and toddler providers, at both child care centers and family child care homes, to maintain quality health and safety standards. The program offers technical assistance in the areas of hygiene, nutrition, communicable diseases, immunization requirements. An annual newsletter is published. CPR and First Aid training are offered to providers at a low cost. Certification renewal is also offered. Click here for the current training schedule. For a free health and safety assessment of your child care program or for more information contact Dianne Burdette, RN, CPN via telephone at (732) 557-9633, ext. 132 or via e-mail at .

Family Child Care Accreditation
The National Association of Family Child Care Providers, (NAFCC), is the only national accreditation system for family child care providers. Accreditation is voluntary and was created to verify the quality of the services provided. Each family child care provider program goes through the in depth accreditation process: requiring training, health assessments, criminal background checks, as well as an observation verifying compliance with Quality Standards for NAFCC Accreditation. Decisions are made individually based on information gathered from an observer, the provider, and the parents of the children in the program.

Directors’ Academy
The Children’s Home Society of NJ’s Ocean County Directors’ Academy was started in collaboration with the New Jersey Professional Development Center in 2003. It consists of 45 hours of specifically designed training for directors. Some of the topics directors explore are their visions, mission statement, policies, child development, motivating and training staff, team building, and many others. Directors are required to keep a portfolio of resources and complete a final project.

The Ocean County Early Learning Council
The mission of the Ocean County Early Learning Council is to enhance the well being of children in Ocean County through improved early care and education. The Council facilitates the collaboration of agencies that serve children and families by increasing the quality of early childhood programs, providing educational opportunities for parents and professionals, and advocating for the needs of young children. Announcements of upcoming events are posted on this website under "Ocean County Office - Special Events". Meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the conference room of The Children's Home Society of New Jersey. If you would like more information, please call Joan Christopher at (732) 557.9633, extension 136. Click here to see the Ocean County Early Learning Council's brochure.