Financial Assistance

The cost of child care for families represents a major household expense, often exceeding other expenses, such as housing. The State of New Jersey offers programs that can help families with the cost of child care. Low and moderate-income working families may be eligible to receive state subsidies for child care, including preschool instruction, before and after-school programs, summer camps and care for children with special needs.

Child Care Resources helps Monmouth County’s families link with these subsidy programs. Subsidy programs can be used for a variety of types of child care, such as licensed child care centers, registered family child care homes, licensed before and after-school programs and summer camps.

The subsidy programs available in Monmouth County are (please click on the links below to learn more about each subsidy program):

  • New Jersey Cares for Kids (NJCK) – This program provides child care payments for families who are working full time, going to school full time or a combination of both.
  • Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) – The eligibility for this program is determined by the Monmouth County Division of Social Services (MCDSS). If eligible, a parent is referred to Child Care Resources for their child care needs.
  • Department of Education (DOE) Preschool Wraparound Child Care – This program is for those children enrolled in Department of Education Preschool programs in Asbury Park, Keansburg, Long Branch or Neptune for before and after-care and summer programming.
  • Specialized Programs – These child care subsidy programs include programs that meet special populations, such as those children in Child Protective Services through the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P), children in legal custody of their grandparents or other family members and programs funded through other entities other than the State of New Jersey.