Week of the Young Child 2024
Join Family Resource Centers all across the city for FREE, fun events throughout the month of April!
In 2023, DEC made San Francisco an even better place for families.
Meet San Francisco’s Department of Early Childhood.
We partner with all of the adults who care for young children, so that together we can create healthier, happier, and more imaginative childhoods. And that makes the city a better place to live for us all.
Putting the pieces together so children can soar.
Parents, we're here for you.
Parenting is hard sometimes. That’s why we put parents at the center of what we do. DEC is the City department solely dedicated to our youngest children. We work to support San Francisco families through partnerships, family services, and early childhood programs. As a result, we are making it easier to raise young children in the city we love.
OTHER RESOURCES
FOR FAMILIES
Growing together in early childhood.
We believe that the educators, community partners, and spaces where children grow, learn, and thrive are what make us strong. Together we can advance benefits, provide tools and training and connect children and their families to the city and beyond.
News & Updates
Press Release: Mayor Breed’s Children and Family Recovery Plan Delivers Major Results in Early Care and Education
This press release was originally published February 27, 2024 on SF.GOV. Read the original here. Landmark educator pay initiative and investments in facilities and vouchers for low-income families has dramatically doubled
First of its Kind Longitudinal Study Reaffirms DEC’s Investments to Support Kindergarten Readiness
A new study that followed San Francisco Unified School District students from the time they entered kindergarten until they turned eighteen, demonstrates the critical importance of investing in children and
In 2023, DEC Made San Francisco an Even Better Place for Families
This year, we changed the game for parents in our city. Our new strategic plan, published this year, set the stage for lots of innovative and impactful new initiatives to
SF’s Workforce Compensation Initiative Provides a Blueprint for Other Cities
DEC’s Workforce Compensation initiative is providing a blueprint for other cities looking to increase early educator compensation! In a recent report from Bank Street College of Education, Paths Forward to
Early Intervention and Specialized Services System of Care Request for Grant Applications is Now Open!
The Department of Early Childhood is guided by long-standing research, which shows that the first five years are a critical time of growth and development for young children. Thus, it
Family Resource Center Request For Grant Applications is Open!
It is with excitement and gratitude that the Department of Early Childhood (DEC) announces the launch of the fourth funding cycle for the Family Resource Center Initiative and this corresponding
Press Release: Mayor Breed’s Children and Family Recovery Plan Delivers Major Results in Early Care and Education
This press release was originally published February 27, 2024 on SF.GOV. Read the original here. Landmark educator pay initiative and investments in facilities and vouchers for low-income families has dramatically doubled
First of its Kind Longitudinal Study Reaffirms DEC’s Investments to Support Kindergarten Readiness
A new study that followed San Francisco Unified School District students from the time they entered kindergarten until they turned eighteen, demonstrates the critical importance of investing in children and
In 2023, DEC Made San Francisco an Even Better Place for Families
This year, we changed the game for parents in our city. Our new strategic plan, published this year, set the stage for lots of innovative and impactful new initiatives to