ABSTRACT

The various actors involved in the construction and implementation of a public policy interact frequently and continuously. Such interactions tend to be institutionalized, with formal and informal rules, deliberation arenas, jurisdictions, and procedures for joint decisions and actions, characterizing network governance. This study sought to understand the structure and mechanisms of network governance in the implementation of public policies for children and adolescents in Brazil. It is a qualitative research collecting data from documents and semi-structured interviews. The results point to a lightly formalized network with cooperation centralized in the Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (known as CMDCA). Regarding the network’s structure and governance mechanisms, it was found that the CMDCA is a central player, acting to coordinate, monitor, and motivate the actors. Coordination occurs mainly through monthly meetings; monitoring activities consist of inspecting entities registered at the CMDCA and information transfer; and motivational actions refer to support provided through grants, mediation, and information. The study contributes to the discussion about the role of network governance in policy elaboration and implementation, offering valuable insights and conceptual tools to better understand this structural arrangement.

Keywords:
public governance; network governance; implementation network; governance structure; governance mechanisms