OBJECTIVE: To review and discuss childhood and adolescence vulnerabilities, as well as Brazilian public policies of intervention. DATA SOURCES: A narrative review was performed, considering studies published between 1990 and 2012, found in the Virtual Health Library databases (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde - BVS). A combination of the following descriptors was used in the search strategy: "Adolescent Health", "Child Health", "Health Public Politics" and "Vulnerability". In addition, Brazilian official documents, the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent, Guardianship Council, Bolsa Família and Saúde na Escola Programs were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: The results were divided into five categories of analysis: Vulnerability of Children and Adolescents in Brazil, Public Politics of Intervention to Risk Factors in Childhood and Adolescence, the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent and Guardianship Council, Bolsa Família Program and Saúde na Escola Program. The studies show that children and adolescents are vulnerable to environmental and social situations. Vulnerabilities are exhibited in daily violence within families and schools, which results in the premature entrance of children and adolescents in the work environment and/or in the drug traffic. To deal with these problems, the Brazilian Government established the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent as well as social programs. CONCLUSIONS: Literature exposes the risks experienced by children and adolescents in Brazil. In the other hand, a Government endeavor was identified to eliminate or minimize the suffering of those in vulnerable situations through public policies targeted to this population group.
adolescent health; child health; health public policy; vulnerability