Educational inclusion and integration mechanisms in early childhood education centers

Abstract

This systematic review study evaluates the effectiveness of inclusive integration mechanisms in the comprehensive development of children aged 0 to 5 years in early childhood education centers. The PRISMA methodology is employed, evidencing searches in scientific databases such as Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, collecting scientific information regarding the characteristics of implemented inclusive integration mechanisms, differences in participation and development of children with specific educational needs, differences between inclusive and non-inclusive centers, and evidence guiding recommendations to improve educational inclusion, answering questions developed with the PICO methodology based on support from 40 articles selected for analysis. The general objective of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of inclusive integration mechanisms implemented in early childhood education centers to promote the comprehensive development of children aged 0 to 5 years, identifying best practices and most effective strategies through a systematic review of scientific literature available between 2020 and 2025. Search results indicate that centers implementing inclusive integration mechanisms develop more equitable, participatory, and diversity-respectful educational environments, favoring the comprehensive development of all children through didactic-pedagogical strategies, specialized teacher training, and active family participation. Employed strategies should be multisectoral, holistic, and interdisciplinary, using flexible methodologies that facilitate equitable participation of children, families, and the educational community. Benefits include strengthening social, communicative, and socio-emotional skills, developing civic competencies, and bridging social exclusion gaps that reinforce the importance of comprehensive inclusive care in early childhood, mitigating marginalization risks and promoting conscious implementation of inclusive mechanisms focused not only on preventing exclusion but also on actively promoting participation and equitable comprehensive development.