Early Childhood Care in Spain before the Lockdown

Abstract

It is widely assumed that every action in Early Childhood Care (ECC) must be conducted taking into consideration the well-being of the family and relying on their active involvement. It becomes essential to implement an intervention strategy that encompasses not only the children but also their immediate environment and the entire family unit. In this context, the Family-Centred Approach (FCA) has emerged as a prominent methodology. This approach can be defined as a collaborative connection between professionals and families, characterised by mutual respect and acknowledgment of their values and choices. Moreover, it entails extending assistance when required, all aimed at fostering optimal functioning of the familial core. This article aims to understand perceptions of families and professionals concerning Early Intervention in Spain before the lockdown. For this, a scoping review was conducted by mapping articles related to Spain in Scopus or Dialnet (CIRC A+, A, B, or C) before the COVID-19 lockdown. After reviewing thirty-five chosen articles, the identified topics were categorised into emotions, diagnoses, and requirements. Many of the publications fulfilled the CIRC B criterion, with a minority of articles meeting this criterion in the latter portion of the present decade. This subject matter warrants further research. There is a need for effective Early Childhood Care (ECC), characterised by early detection and diagnosis, involving well-trained professionals, and which recognises the importance of families in interventions and children development.