title: Effectiveness of the Comprehensive Childhood Protection System for vulnerable mothers and children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the effectiveness of the public benefits and services of the "Chile Grows with You" and "Protect Network" programs for socially vulnerable women and children in an urban community in the Metropolitan Region of Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study employing a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 132 mothers and their 133 infants, all grouped according to social vulnerability. Primary data were collected via a structured interview of the mothers and were complemented with institutional (secondary) data. Descriptive and associative analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The perception of social vulnerability by the professionals was low at the time of admission into the program. The effectiveness of the universal and specific benefits was low, with better results for the children than for the mothers. However, no significant differences were observed according to vulnerability. Another finding was the low access to specific benefits for children with psychosocial risk and psychomotor delay, especially in the most vulnerable group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results revealed a gap in the access to the benefits guaranteed by law. To overcome this situation, nurses must strengthen their skills in contextualized health practices and the comprehensive administration of interdisciplinary and intersectoral networks.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arcos
authors.forename: Luz Angélica
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vollrath
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gazmuri
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baeza
mesh_terms: D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D002677:Chile; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers; D012307:Risk Factors; D035862:Vulnerable Populations