HISTORY
CEDEP (Child Development and Psychosocial Stimulation Studies Center) was created in 1977 by psychiatrist Hernán Montenegro jointly with psychologists Sonia Bralic, Isabel Margarita Haeussler, María Isabel Lira and Soledad Rodríguez.
The motivation of the group of professionals was their concern for the development of children growing up in poor sectors, the significance of the first years of life as a fundamental stage in human development and the desire to contribute to child-oriented public policies.
Research has been the essential task of the Center.
Throughout the years, the team has been enriched by joint work with physicians, educators, social assistants, anthropologists, nutrition experts, methodologists and many people involved in the studies. The core team, always small-staffed, has changed slowly and imperceptibly with some members leaving and others coming in. This seamless renewal has ensured that the team’s mystique and identity has been maintained and conveyed to those who have worked in the Center’s projects over the years: dozens of professionals and hundreds of assistants throughout the country. The underlying motto has been to conduct relevant and thorough studies from the institutional viewpoint, within a warm, cooperative environment.
Some of the studies have been landmarks in the Center’s history. The Early Stimulation Program deserves special mention. To carry it out, an infant evaluation instrument and a stimulation program were developed; additionally, a procedure was tested to incorporate these activities into the National Health Service.(governmental health-care provision). Both the Psychomotor Development Evaluation Scale and the Stimulation Guides are still being used and sold, after 25 years, in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and other countries in Latin America. The experience was made into a book entitled "Estimulación Temprana", (Early Stimulation) edited jointly by CEDEP and UNICEF (1978).
Other child development evaluation instruments have been built ever since, whose main characteristics are that they can be used massively and have acceptable psychometric indicators, such as validity, reliability and normative criteria.
The Center has also continued with the design of programs aimed at favoring the development of preschoolers living below the poverty line. These include: “Learning to Grow as a Person” (curriculum for children 3 to 5 years old, published by the Catholic University of Chile, 1990), "Work Cards for Preschool Education" (edited by Integra Foundation, 1995). Contributions have also been made to the Ministry of Education, in the review and evaluation of different material for parents and teachers (1997- 2002)
CEDEP has also designed and executed programs for small children. It has been the executing institution of two programs sponsored and financed by Arauco Educational Foundation: the “Seeding Program” (2000-2003) (2006-2010) and the “Roots Program” (2003-2006). Both projects have been implemented in very poor communities. The innovative feature of these programs has been the inclusion and coordination of the entities and institutions related to small children (e.g., health, education, community groups, mothers, broadcasting and library). A model of intervention in poor counties has been generated. The programs’ main objective is to prompt psychosocial development of all small children.
Among population studies, one worth singling out is "Feeding and Raising Strategies Associated to Child Development" (1989). Based on a representative sample of poor-sector preschooler households, it was conducted simultaneously and with the same methodology in Argentina (CIC Commission for Scientific Research), and Uruguay (CLAEH, Latin American Center for Human Economy). This study, coordinated by UNICEF, explored not only family support to child rearing, but poor communities’ characteristics; the community was involved in data analysis in participative diagnosis workshops; it supplied very significant insights on child raising in popular sectors and the level of development achieved by children aged 0 to 6 years.
CEDEP has also participated in programs’ assessment. In this area it is worth mentioning the study "Evaluation of the Impact of Preschool Education on Children" awarded to CEDEP, through a bid called by the Ministry of Education. Based on a representative sample of various wide-coverage preschool education programs, a longitudinal study evaluated urban and rural children from different regions, who were followed up from pre-K to second grade. This study was the first of its kind and scope in Chile and probably the first in Latin America. Its findings have been widely discussed, and originated a nation-wide reflection that resulted in changes in the preschool educational agenda. In the last years, assessments have been made on the impact of educational programs of Chilean pre-school Institutions as “Integra” Foundation and "JUNJI".
During 2005-2006, CEDEP worked, among others, in a very significant project for the country: “Developing skills progression maps for preschool education”. The purpose of the study is to determine which knowledge, abilities and attitudes should be fostered in children under six years of age. The first stage of the project was awarded to CEDEP, through a bid called by the Ministry of Education.
CEDEP is financed exclusively with funds from the proposed projects or awarded by bids. Among the institutions that have financed studies, or with which joint projects have been implemented, are: FONDECYT (the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Research), the Ministry of Education, Integra Foundation, Arauco Educational Foundation, CIDE (Center for Research on Education) and the Center for Public Studies, "Hogar de Cristo", "Cámara Chilena de la Construcción" (Chilean Chamber of Construction), UNICEF and FONDEF (Promotion of the Scientific and Technological Development Fund).
Said agencies and institutions have made it possible to maintain a line of research whose motivation has been to contribute with knowledge and tools to the improvement of marginalized children’s integral development and whose results are presented herein.