Environmental Health

Camp vs Child Care Center License

  NJ Dept. of Health- Youth Camp License N.J.A.C 8:25 NJ Dept. of Children and Families Child Care License N.J.A.C. 3A-52 NJ Dept. of Human Services’ Division of Family Development Child Care Subsidy Program (CCDBG Act) Requirements (42 U.S.C. § 9858 et seq.), 45 CFR Part 98

Coverage

Care is provided to five (5) or more children who are under the age of 18 years old.

Care is provided to six (6) or more children under 13 years of age.

Must comply with State OOL licensing for centers and Youth Camp Safety Act standards for Youth Camps

Attendance

Attends for  a period or portion of at least 2 days or more within the same week.

  • A day camp primarily operates during the day but may occasionally allow an overnight stay.
  • A resident camp is a youth camp that allows campers to stay overnight on a regular basis.

Attends for less than 24 hours a day.

  • Centers operating during the normal waking hours shall not care for a child on a regular basis for more than 12 hours within a 24-hour period.
  • Centers operating during the normal sleeping hours shall not care for a child on a regular basis for more than 16 hours within a 24-hour period.
 

Other Licensing Requirements

Must offer at least one (1) HIGH RISK ACTIVITY to be
considered a youth camp.

  • Operations and camp activities are not required to be conducted in a physical building.
  • License is valid for one calendar year but must be renewed by May 1 of the current year.
  • Licensee is required to submit the ANNUAL ACCIDENT REPORT FORM (CB-12) after the camp closes for the season but before Sept. 15 of the operating year.

A center must obtain a youth camp license if any HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES are offered at the program’s location.

  • A program is required to operate within a physical building.
  • On-site inspections of the programs are conducted, at a minimum, annually to ensure compliance with all applicable provisions of the Manual of Requirements.
  • Each licensing period, which may include the issuance of one or more temporary licenses and/or one regular license, shall be three (3) years.

Annual evaluation of operational activities

Pre-Service Health & Safety Trainings

Required trainings for camps receiving funding through the Child Care Subsidy Program administered by the CCR&Rs but encouraged of all camp operators:

Required Trainings:

Required Trainings:

Background Checks for Staff

“Noncriminal Justice Licensing / Employment Requests” is required. Please visit the State Police Website for detailed information on the process and procedures.

  • Name Check
  • Fees are required and payable
    by credit or debit card.

The sponsor or sponsor representative of a child care center shall ensure that a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) fingerprint background check is completed for himself or herself, and for all staff members at least 18 years of age who are or will be working at the center on a regularly scheduled basis, to determine whether any such person has been convicted of a crime, as specified in P.L. 2000, c. 77 (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-6.10 to 6.17). The sponsor or sponsor representative of a child care center shall provide for himself or herself and shall obtain from all staff members who are or will be working at the center on a regularly scheduled basis, written consent for the Department to conduct a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) background check to determine whether an incident of child abuse or neglect has been substantiated against any such person.

When a person who is not required to complete a CHRI or CARI background check is working with children at the center, the center shall ensure oversight of that person by another staff member and ensure that the person is not left alone to
supervise a child or group of children.

All providers receiving funding through the Child Care Subsidy Program are required to complete the following five (5) mandatory components to the comprehensive background check on all current and prospective staff:

  • A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history check.
  • National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) check.
  • State criminal history registry or repository check.
  • State sex offender registry or repository check.
  • State child abuse and neglect registry and database checks

*Camps receiving funding through the Child Care Subsidy Program is a term used to denote camps that receive subsidy payments through the Div. of Family Development administered by the Child Care Resources Referral Agencies.

*HIGH RISK ACTIVITY means any recreational component, sport or activity, which exposes a camper to a serious injury due to the inherent nature of the recreational component, sport or activity. (ex: includes but is not limited to archery, swimming, horseback riding, rope courses, playground equipment play, etc.)

*ANNUAL ACCIDENT REPORT FORM (CB-12) form required to be submitted upon the conclusion of annual camp activities but by Sept. 15 of the operating year. Form is used to collect statewide data on accidents and injuries associated with camps annually.

Last Reviewed: 4/4/2022