Relationship between the right to early childhood education, expansion of access, and quality

Resumo

The study analyses the relationship between the right to early childhood education, expansion of provision, and quality in municipalities in the Florianópolis Metropolitan Region, Santa Catarina, based on a comparison of the legal framework, data from the Demographic Census, the School Census, and the National Education Plan Monitoring. The methodology integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches, analyzing and interpreting data at the national and municipal levels based on legislation and academic research. The objective was to understand how public authorities organize access to and provision of early childhood education, considering the size of the networks and other challenges that impact the quality of service. The following was observed: an expansion in enrolment in the private network, which did not guarantee universal access to preschool; an expansion in provision, which was, however, insufficient and unequal in relation to the manifest demand, with the 0-3 age group being the most affected; the partialization and lack of full-time enrolment in some municipalities; and the majority of special education enrolments in the public network. Inequality in access, which is more prevalent for some populations, compromises social quality, employment, and income opportunities for families, and the quality of life and well-being of children, starting with infants. Overcoming this requires continuous, equitable, and intersectoral public policies.