Discursos e práticas de proteção à infância e adolescência: o abrigo em questão

Abstract

The present work has the protection to childhood and adolescence as subject of study, having the shelter institutions as a measure of protection as focus of analysis. The shelter institution is one of the established measures of protection found in the Child and Adolescent Statute, that must be applicable whenever the rights recognized in the Statute are threatened or violated. According to the Child and Adolescent Statute, the shelter institution is a provisory and exceptional measure of protection and it does not imply freedom privation. Moreover, it is foreseen in the Statute that the lack or scarcity of material resources does not constitute enough reason for loss or suspension of the familiar power. However, it is observed that the great causes of institutionalization are related to poverty conditions, which affects great part of the population. To accomplish the research, three chapters were developed. The two first ones approach the place of social politics in the development of capitalism and the social protection and politics of assistance in neoliberal times. Deals as well with the history of assistance and protection to childhood, giving emphasis to the process of institutionalization of children and adolescents in Brazil and to the speeches and practices about childhood and family poverty. With the third chapter, obtained from half-structured interviews with shelter's workers from a Rio de Janeiro city government institution one director, two social workers and three social educators - we intended to know and analyze the perception of workers on the subject of protection to infancy and adolescence of shelter institutions, and its unfoldings. We wanted, with this study, to know and put into question what is being produced and offered for children and adolescents in the scope of actions of assistance and protection, searching for the guarantee and magnification of their conditions of citizenship.