Iniciativas inovadoras e Primeira Infância: o desenvolvimento de programas

Abstract

Early childhood (0-6 years) is a sensitive period of development with great brain plasticity and cognitive modifiability. Innovative initiatives to promote child development should be evaluated. In Brazil, there is still a gap regarding the assessment of the efficacy and effectiveness of innovative solutions for early childhood with large-scale implementation in public policies. The Early Childhood Innovation Lab supported innovative projects based on the IDEAS Impact Framework. This is an approach to create intervention programs involving the theory of change with expected effects, the development of materials, and the evaluation plan. Program feasibility tests should be performed in rapid, repeating cycles. In the pilot study the program is applied on a small scale to assess whether it has worked and for whom and in what context it has worked. Before implementing programs at large-scale, it is recommended to evaluate their feasibility, acceptability and efficacy.