Uruguay Crece Contigo (“Uruguay grows with you”) is a national programme on early childhood development inspired by a similar initiative in neighbouring Chile. This is the first case in a two-part set that explores why likeminded policymakers in Uruguay and Chile, focused on the same essential problem, made very different choices in designing a government programme to tackle it.
In a world where policymakers are encouraged to replicate model programs, this case pair shows the importance of balancing the strengths of a specific design—proven in one context—with a recognition that a modified approach may be both necessary and more effective in a different context.
We commissioned this case study with the Harvard Kennedy School as part of a series that explores the transition to scale of early years initiatives.
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This collection of six case studies from the Harvard Kennedy School shares lessons on how to scale early childhood programmes.