TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey’s Safe Haven Infant Protection Act, which allows for the anonymous surrendering of an unharmed infant less than 30 days old, has been in place for 24 years. And in its effort to keep babies safe, the state’s Department of Children and Families continues to make sure people know about it.
Clinton Page, deputy director of child protection and permanency for the department, says there are many reasons why scared parents and young mothers give up their babies. That's why the policy of the Safe Haven law is "no shame, no blame, no names" — so that unwanted infants are not left on doorsteps or park benches or near dumpsters.
Page says the number of surrenders per year fluctuates, but the average number is three to four.
“In 2021, we had zero. Last year, 2023, we had the most we ever had, which is eight,” Page said. “We even had, actually, one this year. You just want to make sure that the public's educated on this law, and they know that they have an option.”
Infants can be surrendered at police and ambulance squads or hospitals — “locations that are staffed 24/7, because obviously you want the infant to be immediately attended to,” said Page. “You don't want a child left somewhere where they could be sitting for a period of time.”
And staff are trained to handle those situations so that scared young parents don’t fear being arrested and charged with any crimes.
The bright side is there are families waiting to take the infants with loving arms, Page says. New Jersey has licensed resource parents, who help kids entering the care of the department, waiting to get a call at any time. And the matching process begins almost immediately.
“When we go out to the hospital, or wherever the infant’s located, we pick the child up right away. We of course get any medical tests that we need to get done, and they get matched and move to that loving, nurturing home as soon as possible,” Page said.
Safe Haven has been taught in New Jersey schools as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, since 2020.