ACNJ with the help of our experts has helped inform readers on what they need to know during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more to learn about challenges for New Jersey's schools, foster care on a federal level and the latest information about child care during the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

• A Father’s Day Letter to Aviv
• School Districts Need More Concrete Guidance During COVID-19
• Reopening Child Care After COVID-19 - What Families Can Expect
• National Foster Care Month Wraps up with Senate Caucus for Foster Youth Briefing on the Impacts of COVID-19
• School's Closed Due to COVID-19 - What Does That Mean?
• New Jersey's Efforts as it Adjusts to a New Paradigm of Education

When Governor Murphy closed the state, Advocates for Children of New Jersey stepped forward to be a voice for the child care sector. Child care, like schools, needed to close for the health of the children, and for the people caring for them. However, without continued support, New Jersey would face detrimental losses in the child care industry as a result of the shutdown.

Now that the economy and child care have started to reopen, we are ensuring the state knows that this fragile yet vital infrastructure cannot fail, calling for increased assistance so that our children care receive quality care while their parents go back to work. Read our recommendations.

Knowing data is paramount to making informed decisions. Advocates can find factsheets and other resources at the tip of their fingertips, helping them to be the best advocates they could be for all the children in the Garden State.

• New Data Shows Impact of COVID-19 on Families and Children
• What Child Care Needs to Reopen
• COVID-19 School Closures: Addressing Educational Needs of Students with Disabilities
• The Changing Landscape of Child Welfare in the Face of COVID-19
• Stay Safe, Healthy and Connected - Preventing Child Abuse
• Educational and fun resources for kids while school is out
• Newark Kids Count emphasizes importance of 2020 Census
• Child Care Providers and COVID-19: Paying the Bills and Helping Staff Pay Theirs

On June 11th, our national partners at ZERO TO THREE virtually released their annual State of Babies Yearbook. This report and advocacy tool shows that the state where a baby is born impacts their chance for a strong start in life. By nearly every measure across all states, children living in poverty and children of color face the biggest obstacles, such as low birthweight, unstable housing, and limited access to quality early learning experiences. The report further highlights major disparities that begin before birth, especially for Black children, driven by systemic racism and social injustices.

Watch the virtual release.
Read the data.