Help for parents, starting today
Where to find care, how to get help paying for it, and how to make sure lawmakers hear from parents like you.
Help paying for child care
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)
ERDC helps working parents, and parents in school, pay for child care for kids under 13. You may qualify if your income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level when you apply. What you pay depends on your family size and income, and it can't be more than 7% of your monthly income.
Most new families go on a waitlist right now. Apply anyway. Some families skip the list, including families on TANF, families referred by Child Welfare, and families reapplying within two months.
Already on the waitlist? Watch for letters from DELC and answer them by the deadline, or you could lose your spot.
Or call 1-800-699-9075, Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm. Source: Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care
Free preschool and baby programs
Preschool Promise
Free preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds in families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Apply through your local Early Learning Hub.
Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten and Head Start
Free, from pregnancy until kindergarten, for families at or below the federal poverty level. Kids in foster care, families without housing, and families on SNAP, TANF or SSI qualify at any income.
Find a program, or call 211
Baby Promise
Free care for babies from 6 weeks to 3 years old in families who qualify for ERDC, with diapers, wipes and formula included. Available in Multnomah, Crook, Jefferson, Deschutes, Coos and Curry counties and Reedsport.
Preschool for All (Multnomah County)
Free, full-day preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old with a parent or guardian living in the county. There's no income limit.
Apply at pfa.multco.us or call 503-988-7818
Find care near you
Call 211 and ask for child care, or text "children" (or "niños") to 898211. Lines are open weekdays 7am to 11pm and weekends 8am to 8pm. You can also search on your own at findchildcareoregon.org, which is available in Spanish.
Money you might be missing
- Oregon Kids Credit: up to $1,050 per child under 6 at tax time, even if you file with an ITIN. Check if you qualify
- Working Family Household and Dependent Care Credit: helps pay for care while you work, look for work, or go to school. Learn more
- Paid Leave Oregon: up to 12 paid weeks to bond with a new baby or a child you adopt or foster. Apply for leave
Lawmakers listen to parents
The waitlist exists because the state hasn't funded enough care. When parents tell their stories, lawmakers find the money. In 2024 and 2026, they did.