New Jersey Administrative Code for special education (N.J.A.C. 6A:14) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) are laws that ensure children with disabilities a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. An important part of these laws provides parents with the right to participate in their children’s education.
You and representatives of your school district are team members who are responsible for developing an appropriate educational program for your child. This document will describe the state and federal laws affecting the provision of special education to help you understand your rights in the special education process. With this knowledge, you will be prepared to take an active role in your child’s education.
This document has been developed for you by the Department of Education, Office of Special Education, in an effort to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date information. The document is periodically revised to reflect changes in the law, provide additional information that would be of use to you, and to provide the information in a more clear and concise manner.
This document was last revised in May 2023.

This New Jersey guide serves as a useful tool to assist you through the transition into adulthood. The information in this guide outlines resources as well as people who are available and willing to help you plan for your future. Ultimately, we want you to reach adulthood successfully!

Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) is New Jersey’s child protection and child welfare agency within the Department of Children and Families. Its mission is to ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children and to support families.
As mandated by state law (Title 9 and Title 30), CP&P is required to investigate all reports of child abuse and child neglect.  Please remember that our goal is to help you ensure the safety and well-being of your child.  Parenting is rewarding, but it is not always easy. When problems arise in a family, it is often the children who are emotionally or physically affected. Unfortunately, some parents do not know where to turn to get help for their children or themselves. This handbook was written to explain the role of CP&P workers and other staff who work together to serve you and your family. CP&P recognizes that this can be a very difficult time for you and your family.

For Spanish version please click here.

Published by:
Department of Children and Families Child Protection and Permanency

NJ Children System of Care (CSOC) Youth and Family Guide

Dear Parent/Legal Guardian:
Thank you for contacting PerformCare. We want to take this opportunity to welcome your family to the New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC). The CSOC serves youth with emotional and behavioral health care needs, youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, youth with substance use challenges, and their families. CSOC is committed to providing services based on the needs of the youth and family in a family-centered, community-based environment. PerformCare works with CSOC to help you get the care your child needs, and we are committed to providing you exceptional customer service.
Enclosed you will find a copy of the Youth and Family Guide. Please refer to the Guide for information about how the Children’s System of Care works, along with information about your rights, privacy, and useful community resources. The Youth and Family Guide is also available on our website, www.performcareNJ.org, along with the latest information on the CSOC.
You will receive more information from PerformCare soon, depending on what services your child will be accessing. PerformCare is happy to discuss service options with you at any time. You can call PerformCare 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, at 1-877-652-7624. We look forward to serving you.

This User’s Guide was created to serve as a “road map” for family members. You can use it to help make sure your family is on the right path, and make sure the process follows closely to the principles and activities of wraparound. In the following pages, you will first see some basic summaries of the wraparound process, including a quick guide to wraparound and a list of common wraparound terms. In later sections, you will see more details on the wraparound process, including descriptions of each of the four phases of wraparound and notes on “troubleshooting” common problems that occur in each phase. You will also find checklists of things that should happen during wraparound, and documents and forms you should see along the way.

A product of:
The National Wraparound Initiative

Through these Recommended Practices, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and co-authors seek to provide guidance to the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), state and local child welfare agencies and their contract providers on how to fulfill their professional and legal obligations to ensure safe and proper care consistent with the best interest and special needs of each and every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) child in the child welfare system. On April 6, 2011, the ACYF Commissioner, Bryan Samuels, issued a memorandum encouraging protection and support of LGBTQ youth in foster care.  These Recommended Practices elaborate on the provision of services to LGBTQ youth in the areas of foster care, child protection, family preservation, adoption and youth development. They aim to assist state child welfare agencies to meet the needs of this particularly vulnerable and underserved population by promoting safe, competent and supportive settings for LGBTQ youth.

Prepared By:

Child Welfare League of America
1726 M Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
202-688-4200

Adoption in and of itself warrants special knowledge on the part of professionals who assist adoptive families. But as more and more children are past infancy when placed into adoption, the family tasks and challenges become more complex, warranting a highly specialized set of insights and skills for professional success in assisting and treating these families.

The Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships’ Community Program Directory provides public access to statewide resources that are designed to support family success and keep children safe. The programs and services listed are funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships (DPCP).  The Division is built on and comprised of best-practices and technical-assistance teams committed to building partnerships with the goal of developing a robust network of prevention support and services that are culturally responsive, strength-based and family centered.
This directory is updated regularly and available online at www.nj.gov/dcf

This handbook was created by The Department of Children and Families (DCF) / The Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P) formerly known as DYFS to help families involved with the DCP&P whose children have been placed in foster care. Families need to know why children have been removed from their parents’ care, what to expect when this happens, and how and when their children can return home.
Because your child is now in placement, it is critically important for you to understand what will happen next, what you can expect from DCP&P and the Family Court, and what they will expect of you.
This handbook was written to answer some of the questions that parents ask. It can help to guide the work we will face together in the coming months so that your children can return home safely. However, reading this handbook should not take the place of paying careful attention to the specific details, timelines, and requirements of your own unique family situation.

Prepared by:
State of New Jersey
Department of Children and Families
Division of Youth and Family Services
www.nj.gov/dcf

Many child welfare terms are subject to interpretation. The Glossary identifies commonly held definitions for terms that can be found on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website. It defines common acronyms and includes links to information on major Federal legislation and related child welfare terms. The Glossary will be updated as new terminology emerges in the field, as new legislation is enacted, and as child welfare terms take on new meaning. Click here to view the adoption Glossary http://www.childwelfare.gov/admin/glossary/index.cfm