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Select the download button to save a copy for this course.

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NJ Quality Standards for Afterschool_ Programming and Activities

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You are accessing a U.S. Federal Government computer system intended to be solely accessed by individual users expressly authorized to access the system by the U.S. Department of Education. Usage may be monitored, recorded, and/or subject to audit. For security purposes and in order to ensure that the system remains available to all expressly authorized users, the U.S.

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SEDL educational activities and sample lesson plans

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SEDL educational activities and sample lesson plans

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The Afterschool Training Toolkit is available online free of charge.

The following resources can be used with the online Afterschool Training Toolkit to give you the resources you need to build fun, innovative, and academically enriching afterschool activities.

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The Afterschool Training Toolkit is available online free of charge. The following resources can be used with the online Afterschool Training Toolkit to give you the resources you need to build fun, innovative, and academically enriching afterschool activities.

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Download Mott Foundation's Mizzen App today!

As champions for children, you're doing everything you can during this time to keep youth safe and continue to serve them. We also know you're doing all you can to support your staff. You have risen to the challenge in every way.

In support of your efforts, we have a new resource to share with you.

Mizzen by Mott is a new app built with and for afterschool professionals to provide high-quality, engaging learning content to the afterschool field.

Did you know that New Jersey has a unique link to the Mizzen app?
https://www.mizzenapp.org/meet-mizzen-by-mott/new-jersey

To meet the needs of this moment, the Mizzen team has added new activity playlists and multi-week modules that can be done at home or in small-group settings. The app's content focuses on youth learning and well-being and is provided by organizations like Jazz at Lincoln Center, the California Academy of Sciences, After-School All-Stars, OregonAsk and VentureLab. Through support from the Mott Foundation, the app and all of its content are available for free to afterschool providers.
Click here to learn more about Mizzen and how to download and share the app.

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As champions for children, you're doing everything you can during this time to keep youth safe and continue to serve them. We also know you're doing all you can to support your staff. You have risen to the challenge in every way. In support of your efforts, we have a new resource to share with you.

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The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Licensing Requirements

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The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Licensing Requirements

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The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Office of Licensing Opens in new window (OOL) inspects every licensed child care center annually to enforce health, safety and educational program requirements. For inspection records or other information on a specific child care center, call the Office of Licensing at 1-877-667-9845 or visit their website Opens in new window .

Registered family day care homes are monitored by the Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs), which are community-based organizations contracted by the state in each county. To find out if your family day care home is registered, or to get a copy of a registration or inspection, contact your local CCR&R.

All New Jersey youth camps must register annually with the Department of Health and Senior Service's (NJDOH) Public Health Sanitation and Safety Program. Inspections of youth camps are conducted by both the NJDOH and local departments of health Opens in new window . For more information visit their website Opens in new window
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Abuse and Neglect

All reports of child abuse and neglect, including those occurring in institutional settings such as child care centers, schools, foster homes and residential treatment centers, must be reported to the State Central Registry (SCR). This is a toll-free, 24-hour, seven-days-a-week hotline.

Child Abuse Hotline (State Central Registry)
1-877 NJ ABUSE
(1-877-652-2873)
TTY 1-800-835-5510
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Reporting Health and Safety Violations

To make a complaint about a child care center or report a health and safety violations with the DCF Office of Licensing, you can call 1-877-667-9845 or file a complaint online Opens in new window . Complaints may be made anonymously.
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Licensing Requirements

All child care providers receiving payment through the NJ Child Care Subsidy Program must be licensed or registered by the Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing (DCF/OOL) or approved by the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS/DFD). This includes child care centers, school‐based programs, summer camps and home-based providers, such as family child care providers and approved homes.

All programs that were license exempt, such as public and charter school or faith-based organizations, must become licensed and must comply with the requirements below in order to receive payments through the NJ Child Care Subsidy Program.
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What must a program/provider do in order to be licensed?

To obtain a license from the Office of Licensing, a program/provider must:

Demonstrate compliance with state building and fire codes;

Provide adequate supervision maintaining required staff/child ratios, provide age appropriate activities, use positive methods of guidance and discipline, and provide adequate nutrition and rest;

Maintain clean and safe indoor and outdoor environments;

Maintain proper records and obtain comprehensive criminal background checks for all staff involved in a child's care or supervision;

Comply with annual OOL unannounced inspections and complaint investigations; and

Complete pre‐service health and safety trainings.

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Who must have a comprehensive criminal background check?

All child care providers and staff age 18 and older. This includes:

Anyone who is involved in a child's care or supervision of children or who may have unsupervised access to children (including volunteers, bus drivers, kitchen staff, janitors, and administrative employees.

Anyone who lives in a registered family child care home and is over 18. If a provider cares for children to whom they are related, then they do not need to have a comprehensive criminal background check. However, in that case - all children in that provider's care must be related to the provider.

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What does a comprehensive criminal background check include?

A Comprehensive Criminal Background Check may include:

Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Fingerprint check;

State and National Sex Offender Register Check; and

Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) Check (staff ages 14 and older will be required to undergo the CARI check).

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What are disqualifying crimes?

A child care staff member may not be able to work in a child care program that is receiving payment through the NJ Child Care Subsidy Program if the meet any of these disqualifying crimes and ineligibility requirements:

Refuses to consent to the criminal background;

Knowingly makes a false statement;

Is registered, or is required to be registered, on a state sex offender registry or repository or the National Sex Offender Registry;

Has been convicted of a felony, including the following crimes: murder, child abuse or neglect, crimes against children including child pornography, spousal abuse, crime involving rape or sexual assault, kidnapping, arson, physical assault or battery, or drug-related offenses committed during the preceding 5 years; and

Has been convicted of a violent misdemeanor committed as an adult against a child, including the following crimes: child abuse, child endangerment, sexual assault, or of a misdemeanor involving child pornography.

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How do I know if the adults in my child's child care program have had a comprehensive criminal history check?

You can review the Division of Children and Families Office of Licensing Inspection Violation Report online Opens in new window .
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What is included in pre‐service health and safety trainings?

Health and safety trainings include:

NJ Health and Safety Basics which covers topics including, but not limited to, how to create a safe environment, transportation safety, handling and storage of dangerous materials, what to do in an emergency, how to respond to food and allergic reactions, and safe sleep practices;

Identifying child abuse and neglect, and when and how to report it; and

First Aid and CPR Training.

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Where do I find the outcome of unannounced inspections?

Division of Children and Families Office of Licensing Inspection Violation Reports are posted online Opens in new window .

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The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Office of Licensing Opens in new window (OOL) inspects every licensed child care center annually to enforce health, safety and educational program requirements. For inspection records or other information on a specific child care center, call the Office of Licensing at 1-877-667-9845 or visit their website Opens in new window .

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Quality Standards for Afterschool Reference Packet

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Quality Standards for Afterschool Reference Packet

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NJ Quality Standards for Afterschool is a resource that afterschool programs can use for self-evaluation and continuous quality improvement. Click to learn more about our Quality Standards.

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NJ's Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers

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NJ's Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers