Community Involvement in Child Development Support Systems and Programs: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

In the last decade, early childhood policies and programs at the international level have given a central place to community participation, however, little is known about how this occurs and what changes it achieves. This article aims to identify evidence on community participation in child development support systems, programs and services and their effects on participants through a systematic review of scientific and gray literature. The findings show the presence of diverse categories of participants within the community, the adoption of participation strategies predominantly conducted by organizations external to the community, and the occurrence of mainly positive effects associated with community participation. The discussion addresses the introduction of new analytical dimensions for understanding participatory processes, the importance of fostering community influence in programs, and the need to consider the conditions that favor effective participation. Valuable information is offered to decision makers, researchers, and civil society organizations seeking to formulate, implement, and early childhood policies, programs, and services based on community participation.