Childhood social-emotional development lays the foundation for an individual’s life path. A significant proportion of disadvantaged children born into low-status families have deficits in their abilities. According to the disadvantage compensation approach, the gap can be reduced, and even desirable behaviors can be successfully taught in any community (class, peer group, parents, adults, etc.) with the help of professional experts. In our study, we undertake to provide an overview of disadvantage compensation programs developed for school-age children and younger children, based on international and domestic literature, with the aim of strengthening social competencies. In addition to presenting good examples, our goal is to create a complex and critical picture of programs aimed at developing social competencies, especially domestic programs, based on a qualitative evaluation criteria system, which may be useful in the future for professional efforts aimed at helping and developing disadvantage compensation. The ideas of international and domestic education researchers about good practices show many similarities. We believe that both in the domestic and international arenas there is enough good practice, methodological guidelines, training that strengthens self-awareness and responsibility, and theoretical foundations that can inspire experts (teachers, helpers, parents, civilians, etc.) in effective and enjoyable development activities. However, success can only be ensured through continuous and controlled pedagogical and social support work, impact monitoring, and program review. With detailed knowledge of the situation in Hungary, it can be said that disadvantage compensation is practically competing with falling behind. In lucky cases, the distance between groups, the extent and speed of falling behind can be reduced. The difficulties are exacerbated by the lack of a sufficient number of qualified human resources for catch-up programs, and the development of tools and buildings is uneven and, above all, not continuous. The limitations of the effectiveness of disadvantage compensation cannot therefore be found in the quality of the programs developed on the appropriate conceptual background, but in fundamentally structural reasons. In our article, we critically analyze the domestic and international efforts of the past two decades and draw attention to successful solutions and opportunities for further development.