The Colorado Office of Early Childhood (OEC) provides collaborative leadership to align resources for children, families, and early childhood professionals to best prepare Coloradoans for future success, through access to coordinated and quality early childhood programs and family supports.

The OEC aligns itself with the goals set forth in the Early Childhood Colorado Framework to ensure all children are valued, healthy and thriving.

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Our Priorities...

• School Readiness: All Colorado children are ready for school when entering kindergarten.
• Safe, Stable and Nurturing Environments: All Colorado children develop within positive, stable and nurturing environments free of toxic stress.
• Individual Resilience: All Colorado children have the supports necessary to successfully adapt to challenging or threatening circumstances.

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Our Structure

The Office of Early Childhood has two divisions, the Division of Early Care and Learning and the Division of Community and Family Support.

Division of Early Care and Learning: Services to Provide Access to Safe and High Quality Early Learning Environments

• Child Care Licensing and Administration: Licensing and regulation to ensure the health and safety of children in early care and learning facilities.
• Child Care Quality Initiatives: Programs to rate and improve the quality of licensed early care and learning facilities.
• Colorado Child Care Assistance Program: Subsidies to increase families’ access to high quality child care.

Division of Community and Family Support: Services to Meet Individualized Family and Child Development Needs

• Child Maltreatment Prevention: Services focused on building protective factors among children, families and communities.
• Early Childhood Mental Health: Early childhood mental health prevention, promotion and early identification services.
• Early Intervention Colorado: Supports and services for children under three years of age with special developmental needs.
• Head Start State Collaboration: Coordination of efforts among federal, state and local agencies relating to Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Home Visiting: In-home parenting support programs dedicated to improving health and child development.​

Newsletters and Announcements

• Sign up for Office of Early Childhood notifications.

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Job Opportunities

View State of Colorado job openings.