Mission, Vision,

& Values

At Work for Oregon Kids

A Children’s Institute event to support kids from birth to age five, and ensure that all Oregon children have the love, care, and education they need.

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We are Building

a socially just and equitable future

for children and families.

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Leading in the Wilderness of Love

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News & Articles

The Latest

Oregon’s Kids Need Bold Leadership Now

Sep 19, 2022

Our leaders must know that children are at the heart of a healthy and thriving state. That’s why yesterday in the...

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Summer Camps Foster Kids’ Social Development and Peer Connection

Aug 29, 2022

On our latest episode, host Rafael Otto speaks with Dr. Christian Molstrom about the opportunities that summer camps provide for kids, and some of the challenges they may encounter before they attend.

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“We can’t wait,” A Conversation on Oregon’s Literacy Crisis with Angela Uherbelau

Jul 28, 2022

On this segment of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto talks with Angela Uherbelau, founder of Oregon Kids Read, a grassroots literacy and equity group dedicated to ending our state’s literacy crisis.

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Strengthening Early Learning

Early Works and Early School Success

Our work with school communities across Oregon demonstrates what happens when school districts, educators, community partners, parents and families, and funders come together with a shared vision to support early learning and healthy development for young children. Kids thrive, families are engaged and empowered to support their children’s learning, and the school community flourishes.

Since 2010, we’ve helped build community-centered early learning programs that have transformed schools and created opportunities for young children and their families. That work continues to shape state policy and strengthen early learning, preschool through grade 5.

Learn About Early Works

Learn About Early School Success

Advocating for Children and Families

Early Childhood Coalition

Oregon’s Early Childhood Coalition includes more than 50 state and national organizations that work to advocate for young children and families. Children’s Institute serves as a coordinating member of the coalition and facilitates monthly meetings.

2022 Brought New Investments

New investments from the 2022 legislative session are a significant win for Oregon’s children. Read more.

Expand Early Childhood Facilities

Oregon needs to expand facilities to improve access to child care and preschool. Read more.

Strengthen the Workforce

Oregon must continue to raise wages across early childhood programs to recognize and retain skilled, diverse staff in every region of the state.
Read our 2022 advocacy letter.

Gearing up for 2023

The Early Childhood Coalition meets every month. We invite you to join us and help keep early early childhood a priority for lawmakers! Read more.

Health and Learning Initiative

The Health and Learning Initiative is a partnership between Children’s Institute, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Pediatric Improvement Partnership to transform the relationship between Oregon’s health care and early learning systems.

Our recent work developing an incentive metric for Coordinated Care Organizations focused on social and emotional health is the first of its kind in the nation.

The Health Metric

The Initiative

The Health Metric

The Initiative

The Health Metric

The Initiative

Early Link Podcast

Tune In

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Children’s Institute’s Director of Communications, Rafael Otto.

It also airs Sundays at 4:30 PM on 99.1 FM thanks to Portland Radio Project.