Information to Parents
Under provisions of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (N.J.A.C. 10:122), every licensed care center in New Jersey must provide to parents of enrolled children written information on parent visitation rights, State licensing requirements, child abuse/neglect reporting requirements and other child care matters. The center must comply with this requirement by reproducing and distributing to parents this written statement, prepared by the Bureau of Licensing in the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). In keeping with this requirement, the center must secure every parent's signature attesting to his/her receipt of the information.
Our center is required by the State Child Care Center Licensing Law to be licensed by the Bureau of Licensing in the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. A copy of our current license by the Bureau of Licensing must be posted in a prominent location in our center. Look for it when you enter the center.
To be licensed, our center must comply with the Manual of Requirements for Child Care centers (the official licensing regulations). The regulations cover such areas as: physical environment/life-safety, staff qualifications, supervision, and staff/child ratios, program activities and equipment, health, food and nutrition, rest and sleep requirements, parent /community participation, administrative and record keeping requirements, and others.
Our center must have on the premises a copy of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers, and make it available to interested parents for review. If you would like to review our copy, just ask any staff member. Parents may secure a copy of the "Manual of Requirements" by sending a check or money order for $5 made payable to the "Treasurer, State of New Jersey", and mailing it to Bureau of Licensing, Division or Youth and Family Services, Licensing Publication Fees, PO Box 18500, Newark, NJ 07191
We encourage parents to discuss with us any questions or concerns about the policies and program of the center or the meaning, application, or alleged violations of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers. We will be happy to arrange a convenient opportunity for you to review and discuss these matters with us. If you suspect our center may be in violation of licensing standards, you are entitled to report them to the Bureau of Licensing at (609) 292-1021 or (609) 292-9220. Of course, we would appreciate your bringing these to our attention also.
Our center must have a policy concerning the release of children to parents or people authorized by parent(s) to be responsible for the child. Please discuss with us your plans for your child's departure from the center.
Our center must have a policy about dispensing medicine and the management of communicable diseases. Please talk to us about these policies so we can work together to keep our children healthy.
Parents are entitled to review the center's copy of the Bureau of Licensing's Inspection/Violation Reports on the center, which are issued after every State licensing inspection of our center. If there is a licensing complaint investigation, you are also entitled to review the Bureau's Complaint Investigation Summary Report, as well as any letters of enforcement or other actions taken against the center during the current licensing period. Let us know if you wish to review them and we will make them available for your review.
Our center must cooperate with all DYFS inspections/investigations. DYFS staff may interview both staff members and children.
Our center must post its written statement of philosophy on child discipline in a prominent location and make a copy of it available to parents upon request. We encourage you to review it and to discuss with us any question(s) you may have about it.
