Early childhood is one of the most important phases in human development. For children aged 0 to 6, it’s a time of discovery and rapid skill-building, while for caregivers, it’s a daily challenge to manage the many areas that require attention. With this in mind, we developed a guide featuring over 30 tips—covering everything from the importance of play to promoting healthy eating habits.

At Instituto C, the child is not just in our name—they are our priority. Childhood is the moment to act carefully and deliberately to break cycles of poverty, reduce inequality, prevent violence, and build a healthier, fairer society. This is a message also echoed in the content by the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation and in our own blog article.

Katia Moretti, coordinator of the Institute’s community centers, believes the guide strongly reflects our mission:
“Instituto C has, at its core, the commitment to bring accessible information to families in socially vulnerable situations—many of whom don’t have access to the correct resources. This guide is closely aligned with our work in protecting children.”

You can’t talk about children without talking about their rights—and that’s our daily focus, both in our work and in the guide. We understand that all aspects of a child’s life are tied to the rights guaranteed to them, such as access to quality education, healthcare, the right to play, and many others outlined in the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), which continue to shape every individual’s life.

Combating Inequality for a Healthy Childhood

Much like our multidisciplinary work at the Institute, the guide also branches into many different areas, all interconnected. Our cross-sector approach is reflected in this material, which is primarily focused on guidance and support. “Instituto C works in multiple areas simultaneously, and the guide really brings this multidisciplinary aspect together,” emphasizes Katia.

Caring for children is a collective responsibility, which means this type of work must expand and reach more people. In this context, we face the daily challenge of reducing inequality through greater access to essential rights—especially in health and education—so that all children can share the same experiences and opportunities.

In our experience, socioeconomic inequality is one of the main barriers preventing children from accessing their rights during early childhood.
“Early childhood is when inequality most impacts development—but it’s also when the right interventions can be the most powerful and transformative in a child’s life,” says our project manager.

Another issue Katia highlights is the lack of support networks for families in vulnerable situations. She believes that we must view the family as the foundation for nurturing early childhood development and building social justice from birth onward.

A Guide for Everyone

We designed this guide to support both professionals working with children and caregivers who may not yet be familiar with this topic. For families, the guide is an informative tool that reinforces the importance of looking more attentively and affectionately at early childhood—since not everyone is aware of just how crucial this stage of life is.

“Because it includes information from different areas, in accessible language, and offers practical tips for interacting with children, the guide helps people realize how essential it is to care deeply for early childhood,” adds Katia.

For professionals, the guide can serve as a reference for training sessions or activity planning. It can be used directly with children or to educate other professionals and caregivers who work with early childhood.

Access to Services for Children

The guide also includes key public services that are essential to children and available to all. These services are designed specifically to protect and promote children’s rights, prevent violations, and ensure proper care. The more families and professionals know about these services, the more protected early childhood becomes—and, as a result, children can grow and thrive more healthily.

“We dream of a world where all children can develop to their full potential, starting in early childhood.”

We hope this guide becomes a valuable tool in the daily lives of families, caregivers, and institutions working with young children.

Click the banner below to download the full document and use it in the way that best suits your needs!

Early childhood is a phase of life characterized as a crucial stage of human development. This period lasts until the age of six and is when children begin to develop many skills, such as motor abilities, language communication, and the ability to express emotions. In August, the color green symbolizes the fight for deeper discussions about early childhood and the importance of public policies during this stage.

Quality time with parents, access to healthcare, education, and nature are some of the key pillars during this phase. However, these aspects are often compromised by the lifestyle in large urban centers. In these environments, several factors can directly impact child development, as explained by Noaly Avenoso, psychologist at Instituto C:
“Excessive overstimulation, the stress of urban environments, and the lack of accessible services in health, education, and leisure for families living in more precarious conditions can hinder early childhood development.”

Despite its importance, early childhood still lacks the visibility it deserves. That’s why institutions like the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation, which work to promote early childhood development, are crucial allies in this conversation. “It’s a slightly better-known topic now, but we still see a need for it to be widely understood by society and public policy stakeholders so that it can be prioritized,” points out Karina Fasson, public policy manager at the foundation.

A City Designed for Childhood

During the first years of life, a child’s brain is developing and can make up to one million neural connections per second. This is the moment when the spaces children occupy must offer a safe and age-appropriate environment. In cities, this is still a work in progress—whether it’s in the form of playgrounds, play centers, or museums including children’s programming in their schedules.

“Children must be prioritized in the budget. If they are prioritized in public policy, they must be included in financial planning too,” explains Karina. She also stresses that cities should see children as individuals who require care across multiple areas—emphasizing the importance of intersectoral approaches.

In São Paulo, for instance, despite visible social inequalities, there are already initiatives aimed at strengthening early childhood development, such as the Municipal Plan for Early Childhood. This document sets goals like “making the city’s environment more welcoming for children aged 0 to 6” and “ensuring access to quality healthcare services for pregnant women and children from 0 to 6 years old,” with the objective of promoting a full, stimulating, and healthy early childhood for children in the municipality.

The plan also presents an overview of early childhood in São Paulo, showing that Brasilândia is one of the neighborhoods with the highest number of children aged 0 to 6. It is also where Instituto C’s North Zone Hub is located, where we work with families through services in education, income generation, psychosocial development, nutrition, health guidance, and rights advocacy.

It’s Important to Remember: Children Are Citizens Too

The most important point in making early childhood a priority is recognizing that children are also citizens, and many public decisions affect their lives. Despite progress over the years—especially since the creation of the Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA)—children living in socially vulnerable conditions still face challenges growing up without the necessary support.

Karina, from the Maria Cecilia Foundation, emphasizes that early childhood education must be treated as a top priority: “we need to ensure access to quality early education for all children, especially those already in vulnerable situations.”

In this context, the work of organizations like Instituto C serves as a tool to help families improve their children’s quality of life. As psychologist Noaly points out, our work strengthens the bond between families and their local communities. We prioritize access to information through guidance in health, education, psychology, and nutrition to understand each family’s unique reality and support their rights.

Support Networks in Early Childhood

In Instituto C’s day-to-day work, mothers are always present. We understand that caring for them is also essential to supporting their children’s development. That’s why we believe they need a strong support network—to care for their children and themselves at the same time. We provide this through our thematic support groups, where we address topics that are part of their daily lives and help strengthen their relationship with their children. This support network not only benefits the caregiver—it also makes a real difference in the child’s life.

When discussing early childhood in this context, we must highlight that access to daycare is essential both for children’s development and for building this support network. But it’s not just about offering a daycare spot, as Karina explains: “It’s not enough to have a spot. Early childhood education must integrate both care—which is fundamental at this life stage—and education, in an inseparable way.”

Working directly with families, our psychologist sees firsthand the impact of this support network in their lives:
“The support network is essential for early childhood in every aspect. Daycares and schools, beyond their educational role, also foster social, emotional, motor, cognitive, sensory development—and many other areas that, as the child grows, will make a significant difference in their lives,” concludes Noaly.