New services available statewide for early learning providers to ensure children stay in care
On July 1, 2026, the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) announced that Every Child Belongs (ECB) services are available statewide to licensed child learning and care providers. Every Child Belongs, created in 2021 through House Bill 2166, supports early childhood educators in building nurturing, responsive environments to ensure children can remain in care. These supportive services align with a new state law, Senate Bill 236, that takes effect July 1, 2026, and prohibits suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings.
"These laws are an opportunity to build an early learning culture where every child thrives, every family belongs, and every provider has the support they need,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, DELC Director. “We know that early interventions have the greatest impact, yet providers often tell us they struggle to access the resources they need when children in their care are facing challenges. With Every Child Belongs expanding its support statewide, early childhood educators have more help than ever to create safe, caring environments where young children can learn, grow, and succeed.”
Every Child Belongs services launched in 2025 as a pilot in three regions: Washington County, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties, and Central Oregon (Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties), providing strength-based strategies to early learning professionals. DELC worked with system partners to improve with each phase. The final three regions came online in March, completing full statewide coverage across all 15 regions.
“Every Child Belongs is already making a positive difference in Central Oregon,” said Karen Prow, Child Care Resources Director, NeighborImpact. “Early educators across our region are working hard to support children with increasingly complex social and emotional needs, and this program gives providers the training, tools, and confidence to respond effectively. When we invest in growing the skillset of educators, that knowledge stays with them for life—and benefits every child who walks through their door.”
DELC encourages providers to reach out and fill out a form when:
- A child’s behavior is potentially harmful to themself or others
- They are unsure how to meet a child’s needs
- They want support for their early learning environment
- They would like help before things escalate
- They are overwhelmed and that is making it difficult to care for children
- Their program or early learning community has experienced a traumatic event and need support to process it
A trained early learning specialist in their region will work alongside them to understand what’s happening and identify supports that fit the situation. One tool now available statewide is the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). These consultants use their mental health training, reflective skills, and knowledge of effective strategies to help caregivers better understand and respond to young children’s emotional and relational needs.
“A program in our region was struggling to figure out how to meet the needs of a particular child. After working with the consultant, they developed practical, manageable strategies they could implement right away,” said Shannon Malusevic, Child Care Resource and Referrals Coordinator of Washington County. “The provider reported what they described as a ‘complete 180.’ The provider felt less stressed and overwhelmed and had more capacity to focus on supporting all the children in their care.”
The Every Child Belongs support system is available at no cost. For more information about the initiative, or to submit a support request, visit EveryChildBelon