In this paper it is discussed conceptual aspects of early childhood education and the evolution of the 0 to 6 years old cohort of the population through the analysis of the enrolment and participation in early childhood education programs of this group in Brazil from 1979 to 1996. Later, it is analyzed the results for a better understanding of the 0 to 6 years old children attending early childhood schools and the factors related to it, based on the Living Standards Survey, realized in 1996 and 1997 by the National Bureau of Statistics (IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística), in the Northeast and Southeast areas. The systematization of such data makes possible a diagnosis of the current supply conditions of early childhood education and provides subsidies for formulation and implementation of policies regarding the improvement of students access and the establishment of priorities and definition of action strategies for this age group population
