Category: Child Care Update

A resource for early learning programs and partners to track important updates.

What is Every Child Belongs?

Every Child Belongs (ECB) is a publicly funded service in Oregon supporting childcare providers in creating inclusive environments and managing children’s needs effectively.

Every Child Belongs (ECB) is a publicly funded statewide service that helps Oregon child care providers create supportive, inclusive environments to help keep young children in care. 

Not sure what Every Child Belongs is or how it can support you? Watch our What is Every Child Belongs? video to learn what kinds of support are available and when to reach out.

The video is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese, making it easier for more providers and communities across Oregon to learn about Every Child Belongs.

Whether you are navigating challenging behaviors, looking for strategies to support inclusion, building a trauma-informed environment, or feeling unsure about next steps for a child in your care, Every Child Belongs can help connect you with support early — before challenges feel overwhelming.

You can reach out if:

  • A child’s behavior feels challenging 
  • You are unsure how to meet a child’s needs 
  • You want support for your early learning environment 
  • You would like help supporting a child, or children, before things escalate 
  • You are overwhelmed and that is making it difficult to care for children 
  • Your program or community experienced a traumatic event and needs support processing it 

Support may include infant and early childhood mental health consultation, technical assistance, behavioral support strategies, inclusion strategies, family engagement tools, professional development, and other resources. 

Reaching out early, while challenges are still small, can make the difference in keeping children in care where they belong.

Learn more or request support

Visit everychildbelongs.org to learn more about Every Child Belongs.

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Indigenous Peoples’ Day: A Time for Reflection, Recognition, and Commitment

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognized in Oregon since 2021, honors Indigenous cultures and supports Tribal sovereignty, emphasizing equitable services for Indigenous families and communities.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is observed on the second Monday in October, honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across the Americas. In Oregon, this day has been formally recognized since 2021, following the passage of House Bill 2526. It is a time to reflect on truth, resilience, and the ongoing presence of Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities who enrich our state.

Why It Matters to DELC

For DELC staff, Indigenous Peoples’ Day aligns with our commitment to culturally grounded, family-centered services. Our work is deeply connected to Tribal sovereignty, early learning partnerships, and ensuring Indigenous children and families are supported, respected, and empowered. DELC’s Office of Tribal Affairs and strategic initiatives emphasize equity, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed care—principles at the heart of this observance.

Ways to Honor the Day

  • Attend Indigenous-led events or celebrations in your community.
  • Learn from Indigenous educators, authors, and knowledge holders.
  • Support Indigenous artists, businesses, and organizations.
  • Explore whose Indigenous homelands you reside on using Native Land Digital map.
  • Commit to year‑round learning and relationship-building with Indigenous communities and Tribal Nations.

Working with Tribal Nations

DELC honors the sovereignty of the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon and is committed to upholding Tribal Consultation and ensuring strong government-to-government relationships. Lead by the Office of Tribal Affairs, consultation and engagement with Tribes and the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance (OTELA) will continue to guide our work and strengthen our shared priorities.

Learn More & Explore

In addition to exploring films and books by Indigenous authors, here are some resources to deepen your learning:

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The Department of Early Learning and Care is seeking applicants for the Employment-Related Day Care Rulemaking Committee (RAC)

DELC seeks applicants for the ERDC Rulemaking Committee to review proposed updates improving clarity, policies, provider requirements, and family child care support.

The Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program helps families pay for child care and registration fees. Initially, families may qualify if they are working, attending school, receiving cash assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families – TANF), on medical leave from employment or school, or participating in certain programs with Child Welfare.

ERDC is a subsidy program. This means families may still pay part of the child care cost. This is called a copay. The monthly copay is based on family size and income. ERDC also works with partners across the state to help families find and keep child care. 

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is proposing changes to five rules to clean up language and ensure that the language is easy to read and understand. This includes updating provider rates, adding policy regarding Every Child Belongs (ECB) for providers and updating the requirement to allow providers to store controlled substances under a child safety device or lock. 

414-175-0035; Specific Financial Requirements 
Rule is being updated to clarify that earned shelter-in-kind income is counted as earned income for ERDC.  

414-175-0040; Prospective Eligibility and Budgeting 
Rule is being updated to remove some unnecessary words. 

414-175-0075; Child Care Provider Eligibility Standards Payments Rates, Payment Limits, and Payable Hours 
Rule is being updated to reflect new provider rates negotiated with both child care unions. 

414-175-0080; Eligibility of Child Care Providers 
Rule is being updated to add a requirement for providers to Contact Every Child Belongs (ECB) when a young child is facing potential expulsion.  Rule is also being updated to clarify that controlled substances on site must be stored under a child safety lock or device or in a locked room. 

414-175-0085; Direct Provider Payments 
Rule is being updated to change listed to approved to align with ELMS terminology and to clarify that the IRS identification number must be for the business and not an individual

Click here to access the Rulemaking Advisory Committee Application

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Two self-paced module training series: Managing Behavioral Escalations & Connections

The Oregon DELC is launching two free professional development series for child care providers to enhance understanding of behavior and improve relationships with families.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is launching two new free professional development series to help child care providers better understand behavior, respond to escalations, and build stronger relationships with children and families. 

The optional self-paced courses will be available through the Oregon Center for Career Development (OCCD) learning platform. The courses are approved for ORO credit in the Understanding and Guiding Behavior Set One category. 

The new series were created to give child care professionals practical tools and strategies they can use in early learning settings. Courses will be available in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, English, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Managing Behavioral Escalations Series 

All five modules in the Managing Behavioral Escalations Series are now available.

The first series focuses on understanding and responding to challenging behaviors in early learning settings. The five-module series is designed to be taken in order so participants can practice and apply strategies between modules. 

Topics include: 

Each module takes about 1 to 1½ hours to complete and includes activities providers can use in their own programs. 

Connections Series 

The second series focuses on building strong relationships and support systems to support children and their families.

Topics include: 

Designed for Providers 

Early reviewers shared positive feedback about how easy the training is to understand and how useful it is for providers. 

“These modules will be an excellent resource for early learning providers,” one reviewer shared. “The information is so relatable.” 

Another reviewer shared that it can be difficult to find research-based training about managing escalating behaviors and appreciated having more accessible learning opportunities. 

The series were designed to be practical, approachable, and accessible for providers across Oregon. 

More information, including registration details, will be shared through DELC and OCCD channels as modules become available. 

Click here to Access The Modules

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Give Your Child a Head Start with Embark

Oregon’s Embark 529 education savings plan encourages parents to save for their child’s education, offering a $100 bonus for accounts opened before their first birthday.

As a parent, you’re already investing in your child’s future every day. Embark, Oregon’s 529 education savings plan, can help you take the next step by making it easy to save for your child’s future education. Even small contributions can have a big impact. Students with an education savings account are 2.5 times more likely to pursue education beyond high school than those with nothing set aside.

To help families get started, Oregon provides a $100 Baby Grad bonus when you open an Embark account before your child’s first birthday. It’s a great way to give your child’s education savings a boost from the very beginning.

Visit embarksavings.com/baby-grad to learn more about Embark including why today is the perfect day to start saving.

Déle un impulso significativo a su hijo con Embark

Ya estás invirtiendo en el futuro de su hijo todos los días. Embark, el plan de ahorro educativo (529) de Oregón, puede ayudarle a dar el siguiente paso para ahorrar para la futura educación de su hijo. Incluso las pequeñas contribuciones pueden tener un gran impacto. Los estudiantes que cuentan con una cuenta de ahorro para la educación tienen 2.5 veces más probabilidades de continuar sus estudios después de la escuela secundaria que aquellos que no tienen ahorros.

Para ayudar a las familias a comenzar, Oregón proporciona una contribucion automatica de $100 llamada “el bono Baby Grad” al abrir una cuenta Embark antes de que su hijo cumpla su primer año. Es una excelente manera de impulsar el ahorro educativo de su hijo desde el principio.

Visita embarksavings.com/baby-grad para obtener más información sobre Embark y descubrir por qué hoy es el día perfecto para empezar a ahorrar.

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Honoring Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters

Orange Shirt Day on September 30 honors Indigenous children affected by boarding schools, promoting remembrance, healing, and action to support their identities and communities.

Later this month on September 30, we recognize Orange Shirt Day, a day of remembrance, reflection, and resilience. It honors the Indigenous children who were taken from their families and placed in boarding schools and residential schools across Oregon and the United States, as well as Canada. These institutes were designed to forcibly assimilate Native American children by erasing their identities, languages, and cultures.

Orange Shirt Day is rooted in the story of Phyllis Webstad, whose orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school. That simple act became powerful symbol of the loss of identity, dignity, and belonging experienced by thousands of Indigenous children.

The message “Every Child Matters” is more than a remembrance of the past, it is a call to action. It reminds us that every child deserves to be safe, valued, and supported in their identity. For us at DELC, this message is especially meaningful. As public servants dedicated to the well-being of children and families, we have a responsibility to understand the historical and intergenerational trauma caused by these systems, and to ensure that our work actively supports healing, equity, and justice.

DELC has included honoring and recognizing Tribal Sovereignty as a top priority. In this goal, DELC seeks to create training and resources for staff and partners to learn about the Native American experience, enhance and share educational resources, and much more.

While we acknowledge the deep and lasting harm caused by these schools, we also uplift the strength, courage, and enduring spirit of survivors, their families, and communities. As we honor Orange Shirt Day, we encourage you to take time to learn more about this history, reflect on its ongoing impact, and consider how we can each contribute to a future where all children are honored, protected, and empowered.

Office of Tribal Affairs Department of Early Learning and Care

Core Educational Resources

  1. U.S. National Resources
    1. Orange Shirt Day: Honoring Indigenous Children and Building a Path of Reconciliation
      1. A detailed overview of the movement’s history, meaning, and how it is observed across the U.S.
      2. Offers guidance on:
      3. Hosting events
      4. Engaging in meaningful reflection
      5. Supporting Indigenous-led initiatives
      6. Read the Full Article
    2. Alaska Children’s Trust – Orange Shirt Day Toolkit
      1. Provides a downloadable educator toolkit for schools, families, and communities.
      2. Includes:
        1. Lesson plans
        2. Videos (e.g., Molly of Denali episode “Grandpa’s Drum”)
        3. Activities for children
        4. Community event ideas
      3. Access the Toolkit
  2. Oregon-Based Resources
    1. Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) – Orange Shirt Day Hub
      1. Offers a comprehensive press kit with:
        1. Background on the Federal Indian Boarding School system in Oregon
        2. Virtual meeting backgrounds
        3. Social media templates and hashtags
        4. Suggested captions and personal reflection prompts
      2. Includes links to:
        1. Phyllis Webstad’s picture book
        2. Chemawa Indian School history
        3. Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center
      3. Explore ODHS Orange Shirt Day Resources
    2. Oregon Department of Justice
      1. Encourages staff to wear orange and reflect on the impact of residential and Indian boarding schools.
      2. Promotes reconciliation and understanding through public awareness.
      3. View DOJ Announcement
    3. Columbia Gorge Education Service District
      1. Highlights Oregon’s direct connection to boarding school history, including schools in Warm Springs, Siletz, Grand Ronde, Klamath, Umatilla, and Chemawa.
      2. Emphasizes the importance of remembrance and education in schools and communities.
      3. Read More
  3. Canadian Resources
    1. Orange Shirt Society Resource Hub Offers:
      1. Historical context of Indian Boarding Schools and residential schools
      2. Printable resources and videos
      3. Sample agendas for community events
      4. Activities for children and youth

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Opportunity for families to share their child care experiences with the 2026 Household Survey 

Oregon families with young children are encouraged to participate in a survey on child care experiences for a chance to receive a $25 gift e-card.

We need your help to reach real families within your program and community! 

The Department of Early Learning and Care has partnered with Portland State University and OSLC Developments, Inc. to hear directly from Oregon families. Parents and caregivers of young children in Oregon are invited to complete a survey about their experience searching for and using child care.  

All eligible parents and caregivers who complete the survey will receive a $25 gift e-card! One card per family. You can make sure families within your program receive a flyer and have the opportunity to participate in the survey! 

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming more common, it is harder for surveys like this one to get into the hands of real people (rather than bots and scammers). So this year, we are handing out paper flyers with instructions on how to access the survey all throughout communities in Oregon in hopes of reaching real families with young children. 

If you have not yet received any flyers in the mail, you can request some be mailed to you. Email pdg@oslc.org to request survey flyers to share with families in your program!

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The Department of Early Learning and Care is seeking applicants for the Central Background Registry Rulemaking Committee (RAC)

DELC seeks applicants for the CBR Rulemaking Committee to review updates aligning background checks with federal standards, enhancing child safety, transparency, and supervision clarity.

The purpose of this rulemaking is to update the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care’s (DELC) Central Background Registry (CBR) requirements to fully align with federal standards, which mandates FBI fingerprint-based background checks. These updates require the FBI fingerprint results before an individual may be granted Conditional Enrollment status in the CBR. This change states when a CBR applicant may be conditionally enrolled while their application is being processed. The rules will also clarify who must supervise someone who is conditionally enrolled when they are working with children in child care settings. The rules for the CBR, licensed child care facilities and recorded programs will be updated to reflect these updates.

This rulemaking also aims to increase transparency, strengthen safeguards for children and provide clearer guidance to caregivers, providers, and community members on expectations for background checks and supervised access.

The Rule Advisory Committee (RAC) provides caregivers, providers, community members and union representatives with a structured setting to receive updates on proposed rule changes, ask questions and share feedback.

Click here to access the Rulemaking Advisory Committee Applications

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September 2026 Community Newsletter

September 2026 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates.

A Message from leadership

Do you want to receive this update in your email? Sign up for our Community Newsletter and Child Care Updates twice monthly send by subscribing here.

This month’s update from Director Alyssa Chatterjee

It’s back to school time for many programs and families, and I’m getting ready to celebrate Maya’s first birthday! I’m not sure where the time has gone, but as we head into the fall there are a few things that are top of mind that I’d like to share with you.

Remembering the tremendous impact of Dolly Parton

First, I wanted to take a moment to talk about Dolly. Last week there was an outpouring of heartache around the news of the passing of Dolly Parton. Oregon’s flags were flown at half-staff in her honor, and folks around the world shared the impact Dolly had on them. Beyond her music, Dolly gave millions of children the gift of reading.

AT DELC, we were honored to partner together through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), the book-gifting early literacy program recently expanded to be available in every county statewide. As a result, every child from birth until age five can receive one free, age-appropriate book delivered directly to their home each month, regardless of income ensuring children across Oregon can access free books that support their literacy and lay the foundation for lifelong learning. You can read more about this impactful work and watch Dolly’s video remarks about Oregon on the DPIL landing page.

Here in Oregon, Dolly’s dream now reaches every zip code – putting books in the hands of tens of thousands of young readers. Her belief was simple: every child deserves to fall in love with reading. We’re honored to continue to carry her legacy forward.

Caring Communities Tours

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of joining the Caring Communities Tour with the Marion & Polk region for a community engagement-focused day centered on partnerships and initiatives strengthening early childhood systems for children and families. Together, we spent the day exploring themes of community partnerships, workforce development, early literacy, and kindergarten readiness, and I left excited about what we can learn from our communities to inform state work.

A sincere thank-you to the many partners who shared their time and their work – including teams from Salem for Refugees, Child Care Resource & Referral of Marion, Polk & Yamhill, Willamette Education Service District, Marion Polk Early Learning Hub, and Willamette Health Council – for the meaningful conversations and your ongoing commitment to Oregon’s children and families.

Agency Request Budget

It’s finally here! The DELC 2027-29 Agency Request Budget (ARB) is now available on our website. While the revenue environment means that we aren’t asking for a lot, this is a wonderful opportunity to share more about who we are becoming as DELC and what we need to be successful. Next up, the Governor will consider all ARBs alongside available revenue as she develops the Governor’s Recommended Budget by December 1st.

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DELC on Social: August Highlights

As we wrap up August, we’re taking a moment to look back at some highlights we shared on our social media channels throughout the month. If you haven’t already, we invite you to follow us on social media!

As we wrap up August, we’re taking a moment to look back at some highlights we shared on our social media channels throughout the month. If you haven’t already, we invite you to follow us on social media! It’s one of the easiest ways to stay up to date on child care resources, early learning news, and opportunities to get involved.

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