Baby Promise

What is Baby Promise?

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.

Families seeking care must be eligible for Employment Related Day Care (ERDC.) Enrollment for Baby Promise slots known as “contracted slots” are eligible to bypass the ERDC waitlist.

You are entitled to language assistance services and other accommodations at no cost. If you need help in your language or other accommodations, please contact the Department of Early Learning and Care at 1- 800-556-6616.

Looking for more information on Baby Promise? Email Baby.Promise@delc.oregon.gov.

Program Flier (DE-590600):

Baby Promise Eligibility and Enrollment
Baby Promise is currently available to families living in Multnomah, Crook, Jefferson, Deschutes, Coos, Curry, and Reedsport who meet the income eligibility provided in Table 1 (effective March 1, 2024). Enrollment for Baby Promise is open and nondiscriminatory, and follows Oregon laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, national origin, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, military status, or marital or family status.

To learn more about enrollment and eligibility, contact the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) program in your region.

What does Baby Promise Support?
The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) provides annual funding to Baby Promise. This investment offers slots to infants and toddlers across the state. Through Baby Promise, Oregon is increasing access to high-quality infant and toddler care and addressing current opportunity gaps for low-income families. Baby Promise further supports families by not requiring copays or additional program fees while also supplying diapers, wipes, and formula at no cost.