San Francisco Department of Early Childhood

San Francisco Department of Early Childhood The City’s Largest Funder of Early Childhood Programs and Services. For happier early childhoods.

The Department of Early Childhood (DEC) is a City and County of San Francisco Department dedicated to our young children's safe and healthy development. As the City’s largest funder of early childhood, we are committed to creating a system for every child to thrive and learn. We provide public investment, expertise, and leadership to put resources into the hands of those who care for our City’s youngest children.

Big news for San Francisco families!The San Francisco Human Services Agency just launched the Mobile Benefits Center, a ...
05/05/2026

Big news for San Francisco families!

The San Francisco Human Services Agency just launched the Mobile Benefits Center, a benefits hub on wheels that brings food assistance, cash aid, health coverage through Medi-Cal, and employment services directly to neighborhoods across the city.

Families can apply for or renew benefits on the spot, with eligibility workers there to help, no trip to a government office required.

For families and young children, having access to stable food, income, and health coverage is the foundation everything else is built on. We are so excited to see this resource out in our community.

Check the schedule and learn more: https://www.sfhsa.org/services/mobile-benefits-center

05/04/2026

Last week, we announced something big for San Francisco families. Thanks to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s Family Opportunity Agenda, 550+ new early learning spots are opening across the city, and we’re expanding eligibility through our Early Learning for All program so more working families can access the tuition assistance they need. This is what a strong public system looks like.

Learn more and check your family’s eligibility: sf.gov/childcare

Families with children 5 and under: Please spend Saturday, May 9 at a free, festive block party and open house at the KQ...
05/01/2026

Families with children 5 and under: Please spend Saturday, May 9 at a free, festive block party and open house at the KQED headquarters in San Francisco's Mission District. From 1-5 PM, Sparkler and SF DEC are hosting a play space inside the HQ. Families can participate in a fun lineup of "Tune Up" music, storytelling, dance, and movement sessions, and they can learn through play at different interactive centers. Staff on site will be ready to answer families' questions about child development and help families learn about Sparkler and other free local services for SF families with young children!

Learn more about KQED Fest here: https://www.kqed.org/event/6146

The next Celebrating Young Children event of the season is one you won't want to miss! 🎉Join us at AAPI Families Wonderf...
04/30/2026

The next Celebrating Young Children event of the season is one you won't want to miss! 🎉

Join us at AAPI Families Wonderfest on Saturday, May 9 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Gordon J. Lau Elementary School for a free, joyful celebration of AAPI families, culture, and community.

Hosted by the SF Chinatown Family Resource Collaborative, the event features cultural dance performances, a hand balancing show, a family dance-along, arts and crafts, face painting, sunflower planting, literacy and science activities, a book giveaway, and an ice cream truck.

This free event is open to all families with children of all ages. Register for free: eventbrite.com/e/aapi-families-wonderfest-tickets-1986542969498

04/29/2026

We have some BIG news to share: today, we’re launching our Mobile Benefits Center! 🎉

This new benefits hub on wheels brings food assistance, cash aid, employment services, and access to health insurance through Medi-Cal, directly to San Francisco neighborhoods.

This is such an incredible milestone, and we couldn’t have done it without our partners at Share Our Strength, the SF-Marin Food Bank, Civic Makers, Mission Action, and Larkin Street Youth Services.

Thank you to everyone who made this today's launch possible!

Learn more at SFHSA.org/MobileBenefits

[Image description: Photo of a truck parked in front of a brick building. The truck is labeled "San Francisco Human Services Agency Mobile Benefits Center" and is decorated with graphics related to benefits like food, health, and jobs. The text above the photo says, "San Francisco Human Services Agency" and below it says, "Mobile Benefits Center".]

We’re honored that San Francisco was highlighted in the new report, An Updated Look at Pre-K in Large American Cities.Th...
04/29/2026

We’re honored that San Francisco was highlighted in the new report, An Updated Look at Pre-K in Large American Cities.

The report points to San Francisco’s leadership in early childhood, noting that we met all three major access and equity measures and eight out of ten quality benchmarks for pre-K.

This recognition reflects the work happening every day across San Francisco to expand access, improve quality, support early educators, and build a stronger early childhood system for families.

We’re grateful to our educators, providers, families, and partners who make this progress possible. We’re committed to making sure every child in San Francisco gets the strong start they deserve. https://www.cityhealth.org/resource-center/pre-k-in-large-american-cities/

04/28/2026

Did you know most San Francisco families qualify for free or low-cost child care and preschool through DEC's Early Learning For All initiative?

In this video, our Executive Director Ingrid Mezquita explains how Early Learning For All connects families across the city to over 500 high-quality child care programs, from the Mission to the Sunset and everywhere in between.

If you have a young child in San Francisco, see if your family qualifies: https://www.sf.gov/early-learning-for-all

Celebrating Young Children (C*C) is our annual series of free, family-friendly events hosted by Family Resource Centers ...
04/27/2026

Celebrating Young Children (C*C) is our annual series of free, family-friendly events hosted by Family Resource Centers across San Francisco, and our 2026 season is officially underway! 🎉

Join us at the Balboa Family Carnival, hosted by Connections Centers, on Sunday, May 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Balboa Park for a free afternoon of carnival games, prizes, snacks, music, and resources for the whole family.

Register for free: eventbrite.com/e/balboa-family-carnival-tickets-1986538439950

Join us for a special concert on May 3 at Noe Valley Ministry.The Lullaby Project brings together professional musicians...
04/24/2026

Join us for a special concert on May 3 at Noe Valley Ministry.
The Lullaby Project brings together professional musicians, families, and early childhood educators to create original lullabies for the babies in their lives.

This year, for the first time, the DEC SFQC Lullaby Project brought together Noe Music musicians, educators, and families from Early Learning for All programs to write lullabies for the children they care for. On May 3, they will perform these songs live and share the stories behind them.

Lullabies will be performed in English and Spanish. Refreshments will be available, and everyone is welcome. RSVP here: eventbrite.com/e/dec-sfqc-lullaby-project-celebration-concert-tickets-1984578794598

Happy World Book Day! 📚 Children who are read to daily can hear up to 1.4 million more words by the time they start kind...
04/23/2026

Happy World Book Day! 📚

Children who are read to daily can hear up to 1.4 million more words by the time they start kindergarten. That’s one reason DEC partnered with the San Francisco Public Library to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to San Francisco.

Every child under 5 in San Francisco can receive a free, age-appropriate book delivered to their home each month until their fifth birthday, at no cost to families. Enroll today: legacy.sfdec.org/imagination-library

04/21/2026

One of our favorite annual celebrations is almost here! 📚

Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros is a free community celebration of young children and early literacy, rooted in a longtime Latin American tradition of honoring children. Every year, Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, and community partners come together for a day of live music, dance, books, and literacy activities at Parque Niños Unidos.

Join us on Sunday, April 26 at 11 a.m. at 23rd Street and Folsom. All ages, abilities, and community members welcome! https://sites.google.com/site/sfdiaorg/home

Address

1650 Mission Street, Suite 312
San Francisco, CA
94103

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+14153553670

Website

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