Our 2025 Annual Impact Report is now live!
Mayor Lurie just announced a historic expansion of free and low cost childcare!
Putting the pieces together so children can soar.
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.
Parents, we're here for you.
Parenting can be hard, which is 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 by funding family services and early childhood programs. DEC is here to make it easier to raise young children in San Francisco.
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Growing together in early childhood.
Early childhood educators and partners help children grow, learn, and thrive. They make our city stronger. We work together to give children and families amazing resources in our city.
Enroll in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Sign up today to receive a free book every month!
News & Updates
San Francisco Launches New Department of Early Childhood
Our new department provides children under six and their families with a robust early childhood system of support and dedicates nearly $300 million to support early educators, children, and…
New Department, Renewed Commitment
We have officially merged First 5 San Francisco and the San Francisco Office of Early Care & Education to create the Department of Early Childhood. We are very excited for
Mayor London Breed Announces $50.7 Million Investment Over Two Years in Children and Family Recovery Plan in Proposed Budget
Mayor London N. Breed announced a planned $50.7 million in her upcoming two year budget to fund four recommendations from her Children and Family Recovery Plan, announced in February 2022.
Mayor Breed Announces Landmark Pay Raise Initiative for Early Educators in City-Funded Programs
$60 million in annual city funding through the Office of Early Care and Education will significantly raise educator wages as part of ongoing effort to strengthen and expand City’s support
The Power of Connection in Education: Highlights from the Attachment Innovation Challenge
Over the weekend, DEC hosted the “Attachment Innovation Challenge” in collaboration with our funded partners at WestEd. This event encouraged early educators to devise creative solutions to foster secure attachment
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