Family, youth, and children

Mission

The Department of Early Learning and Care fosters coordinated, culturally appropriate, and family-centered services that recognize and respect the strengths and needs of all children, families, and early learning and care professionals.

Vision

All children, families, early care and education professionals, and communities are supported and empowered to thrive.

Find information about childcare and preschool, public funding for free childcare, and information about becoming a childcare provider.

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Champions offers incomparable out-of-school programs

Champions partners with principals, teachers, and parents to create more than 600 before- and after-school and year-round learning environments that spark wonder in children. A member of the KinderCare Education family of brands, Champions is backed by the resources and expertise of one of the world’s largest education companies. KinderCare Education serves more than 186,000 children in 40 states, and Champions specifically serves more than 40,000 of those children in 21 states and Washington, D.C.

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More than an After School Program

For more than 70 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro has been at the forefront of youth development, providing school year and summer programming for youth in the Portland-area.

Boys & Girls Clubs offer a wide variety of impactful and enriching programs and services for youth ages 6-18 including Education & Career Readiness, Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, Arts, Sports & Recreation, and Family & Community Services.

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The Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program helps families who are working, in school, or receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pay for child care, including registration fees. We also work with partners across the state to help families find and keep good child care. Sign up for email updates

ERDC is a subsidy program. This means many families still pay part of the child care cost. This is called a copayment (copay).

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Early Head Start provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income pregnant women, infants, toddlers and their families.

All Early Head Start programs serve families through a full day, full year program option that best meets the needs of their families. After conversations with families, this program provides options that can meet the needs of families. As infants and toddlers grow and change, and as family needs evolve, diverse program options can support them over time. This ensures that families can grow within a consistent, supportive setting.

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Baby Promise offers free, high-quality early care and education for infants and toddlers from low-income families in Oregon. Serving children ages six weeks to three years, Baby Promise is a publicly funded program and complements other early learning programs such as Preschool Promise and Oregon Pre-Kindergarten.

Baby Promise considers the first three years critical for establishing secure attachments within the family and supporting children’s social-emotional development. A secure attachment is an ongoing, nurturing connection that boosts a child’s confidence, trust, and social-emotional skills. Social-emotional skills help young children understand and communicate emotions, form friendships, and deal with challenges. Baby Promise serves as a foundation for high-quality learning that children and their families may build upon. 

By expanding access to early care and education, Baby Promise provides primary caregiving and continuity of care opportunities for Oregon families. These opportunities allow children and families to develop close, long-term relationships with their Baby Promise providers. These relationships may strengthen Oregon families by giving them a greater sense of security, safety, and stability.

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Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (OPK) is modeled after Head Start to support family success and healthy child development. OPK offers free, high-quality culturally responsive preschool, infant and toddler care in a variety of settings and models. All families receive an advocate who provides support services which focus on family goals and well-being. All families also receive home visiting services. 

Program services include:

• Birth to Five early childhood education, developmental assessments and screenings

• Child health/mental health and disability support

• Health and Nutrition services, including access to resources for houselessness and food insecurity

• Parent Education, Family Goal Setting 

• Opportunities for Parent Leadership, lobbying experience, Policy Council membership and even Employment 

OPK emphasizes the role of parents as their child’s first and most important teacher and families as advocates and leaders. Parents help make programming decisions through the Policy Council and must sign off on all program components.

Eligibility: A pregnant parent or a child up to kindergarten entry is eligible if the family’s income is equal to or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or is categorically eligible. Categorical eligibility includes SNAP, TANF, Foster Families, Families experiencing Homelessness.

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Voters in Multnomah County overwhelmingly supported “Preschool for All” on November 3rd, 2020, with 64 percent of voters approving the measure to extend early education to children across the County. Measure 26-214 directed the Department of County Human Services to administer the program. 

Preschool for All (PFA) connects 3- and 4-year-olds in Multnomah County to free, culturally responsive, inclusive preschool experiences. The program will grow over time, increasing the number of children and families that it serves each year.

Need to reach us?

Email: preschoolforall@multco.us(link sends e-mail)
Call: 503-988-1280

For questions about the family application or technical support with the online application
Email: pfa.support@multco.us(link sends e-mail)
Call: 503-988-7818 

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