What to Know
- Gov. Phil Murphy announced he is allowing child-care services, organized sports practices and youth day camps to resume in New Jersey to resume over the next several weeks
- Child care centers can reopen June 15, while non-contact organized outdoor sports can resume a week later
- Youth and day camps can resume July 6, the same day Murphy has said schools can begin to hold outdoor graduation ceremonies for the class of 2020, provided they comply with social distancing
Gov. Phil Murphy announced he is allowing child-care services, organized sports practices and youth day camps to resume in New Jersey to resume over the next several weeks.
Murphy announced during his daily coronavirus briefing Friday that child care centers can reopen June 15, while non-contact organized outdoor sports can resume a week later. Youth and day camps can resume July 6, the same day Murphy has said schools can begin to hold outdoor graduation ceremonies for the class of 2020, provided they comply with social distancing.
Health and safety standards will guide each of the resumptions. Those standards and guidelines are fluid as case data changes.
“Now, as we prepare to take the first steps and recovery, and more and more workers prepare to get back out there to their jobs, we must ensure a continuum of care for their children,” Murphy said.
On Friday, New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson also announced the immediate availability of up to $20 million in grants to assist child care centers and youth camps in meeting health and safety guidelines in response to COVID-19.
Child care centers can receive up to $5,000, while youth camps can receive up to $2,000, according to state officials.
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The money can be used to purchase additional cleaning products, personal protective equipment and other products and services to assist centers in complying with appropriate guidelines.
In addition, Human Services announced that the state Emergency Child Care Assistance Program, which is paying for child care services for essential employees, will continue through the end of June. Applications will no longer be accepted after June 1st.
Human Services will also continue to pay child care centers throughout the month of June for the child care slots for children enrolled through the state's child care subsidy program for families with lower incomes.
