Chile Grows with You (ChCC): A Promising Child Protection Program for Countries with Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Providing quality early childhood education for children who are part of vulnerable groups within low- and middle-income countries is a global issue of necessity. There is an increasing consensus on the need for investment in socially and economically disadvantaged children and their families to ensure positive health along with improved social and economic outcomes. Nonetheless, considerable discrepancies remain, especially for low and middle-income nations, where implementation obstacles prevent equitable access and developmental gains of children. This paper introduces and critically analyzes Chile Grows with You (Chile Crece Contigo, ChCC), a nationally integrated child protection program designed in Chile to foster early development by facilitating children to reach developmental milestones and lessen social inequality by a multi-sectoral strategy consisting of education, health, and social services along with supporting socially and economically vulnerable families. Utilizing national statistics, policy reports, and empirical research, the article delineates the program's structural components, guiding principles, and implementation procedures. Encompassing prenatal care, parenting education, early intervention, and access to social services for the disadvantaged families, ChCC provides universal and differentiated services. Regarding its efficacy, national assessments demonstrate considerable enhancement in maternal health, psychomotor development, and preschool enrollment. Thus, examining the adaptability of the program to nations with comparable socioeconomic characteristics, current research puts emphasis on this promising model for inspiring the global improvement of child protection that is inclusive by incorporating various sectors with political commitment. Therefore, positioning ChCC as a globally applicable model for integrated childhood policy, current research contributes novel insights for how multi-sectoral frameworks may decrease developmental and educational inequalities by guiding future enactments in counties with similar social and cultural structures.

Keywords

• Child protection
• early childhood education
• family/parent
• Chile Grows with You
• social inequality
• vulnerable groups

Chile Grows with You (ChCC): Dezavantajlı Nüfuslara Sahip Ülkeler İçin Umut Vadeden Bir Çocuk Koruma Programı

Abstract

Düşük ve orta gelirli ülkelerde yaşayan ve dezavantajlı durumda olan çocuklara yönelik kaliteli okul öncesi eğitimi sağlamak dünya genelinde bir gerekliliktir. Sosyal ve ekonomik yönden dezavantajlı çocuklara ve onların ailelerine yönelik yatırım yapmanın gerekliliği konusunda artan bir fikir birliği vardır, bu yatırımlar sağlık, sosyal ve ekonomik açılardan iyileştirilmiş koşullara erişebilmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Ancak bazı tutarsızlıklar hala devam etmekte olup, özellikle düşük ve orta gelirli ülkelerde çocukların eşit olarak eğitime erişiminin sağlanması ve gelişimsel kazanımlara ulaşması, uygulamaya yönelik sorunlar nedeni ile engellenmektedir. Bu makalede, Şili’de çocukların gelişimsel aşamalara erişmelerini kolaylaştırarak erken gelişimlerini ilerletmek ve eğitim, sağlık ve sosyal hizmetleri de içinde barındıran çok sektörlü bir strateji ile sosyal eşitsizliği indirgemek amacıyla geliştirilmiş ve ulusal çerçevede entegre edilmiş “Chile Grows with You” (Chile Crece Contigo, ChCC) isimli çocuk koruma programı tanıtılmakta ve analiz edilmektedir. Ulusal istatistikler, politika raporları ve ampirik çalışmalardan yola çıkarak, makalede programın yapısal bileşenleri, ilkeleri ve uygulama prosedürleri detaylandırılarak ele alınmıştır. Dezavantajlı ailelere yönelik doğum öncesi bakım, ebeveyn eğitimi, erken müdahale ve sosyal hizmetlere erişimi içinde barındıran ChCC, evrensel ve farklılaştırılmış hizmet fırsatı sağlamaktadır. Programın etkililiği göz önüne alındığında, ulusal analizler, annelerin sağlık durumları, çocukların psikomotor gelişimi ve okul öncesi eğitimine kayıt oranlarında önemli iyileşmeler olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bundan dolayı, benzer sosyoekonomik özelliklere sahip ülkelerde yaşayan kişilere yönelik bu programın uygulanabilirliğini politik bağlılığı göz önünde bulundurarak inceleyen mevcut çalışmalar, çeşitli sektörleri kapsayan bu kapsayıcı çocuk koruma programının küresel ölçekte iyileştirilmesi için ilham verici örnek bir uygulama olduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Dolayısıyla, ChCC’yi bütüncül çocukluk politikaları için küresel ölçekte uygulanabilir bir model olarak konumlandırarak, mevcut çalışma; çok sektörlü yapıların gelişimsel ve eğitsel eşitsizlikleri nasıl azaltabileceğine ve benzer sosyal ve kültürel yapılara sahip ülkelerde gelecekteki politika uygulamalarına nasıl yön verebileceğine dair yeni ve özgün içgörüler sunmaktadır.

Keywords

• Çocuk koruma
• Erken çocukluk eğitimi
• Aile/ebeveyn
• Chile Grows with You
• Sosyal eşitsizlik
• Dezavantajlı gruplar

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