NEW JERSEY CHILD CARE ADVISORY COUNCIL

The New Jersey Child Care Advisory Council was established by the New Jersey Legislature with the passage of the Child Care Center Licensing Act (P.L. 1983, c. 492, amended by P.L. 1992, c.95). The Council is mandated to advise and make recommendations on child care issues, policies and programs through the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

The Council is comprised of voting members from the early care and education and child advocacy communities as well as non-voting government staff from the departments cited in the enabling legislation, and from the Departments of Education, Health and Senior Services, and Labor and Workforce Development. Members of the Council are selected in one of two ways: (1) by statewide child care and child advocacy organizations, or (2) by appointment as at-large members by the Directors of the DHS Division of Family Development (DFD), and the Division on Women in DCA.

Full Council meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month, except August and December, and are open to the public. Meetings of the Executive Committee and the standing committees are held on a regular basis. The Council publishes an annual report that is presented to the Commissioner of Human Services at the annual meeting and Aletha Wright Award Luncheon each October and submitted to the legislature.