Políticas públicas para la primera infancia en los países latinoamericanos

(analytical)The article analyzes the design of early childhood and early intervention public policies in Latin American countries, updating the legal framework and evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs. The article focuses on the relationship between the legislation that informs the design of public policies and the effectiveness of early intervention programs in the countries that are members of the Ibero-American Early Childhood Care Network, with the authors identifying the perceived strengths and weaknesses of these initiatives according to its members. A total of eight members of this network participated in a descriptive and exploratory study that included semi-structured interviews and analysis of official documents. The results evidenced that while all of the countries have a regulatory framework for early childhood, there is no specificity regarding early intervention programs or the role of families in these policies. Chile, Mexico and Peru were notable for having the most comprehensive policies.