Abstract

EYKEN, Elisa Dell'orto Van  and  RIBEIRO, Carlos Dimas Martins. Child development: its agents and the public policies of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Physis [online]. 2012, vol.22, n.3, pp. 1085-1099. ISSN 0103-7331.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-73312012000300013.

Human development is a dynamic process that occurs throughout life. However, it is during the childhood when external events and internal factors have higher influence. The social inequality stands out among the factors and events because it keeps the unfair distance between the Brazilian children that are vulnerable as a result of the poverty and the opportunities with the ability to change that condition. These opportunities also are related to their families and the possibility to fulfill the role as a promoter of children development, particularly the mother's role. This paper analyzes public policies for early childhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in 2011, seeking a favorable relation of building up the children basic abilities, considering the agent status of the woman as a mother.

Keywords : child development; mother-child relation; public policies.