Entre a caridade, a filantropia e os direitos sociais: representações sociais de trabalhadoras do care

Abstract

ResumoEste artigo analisa as representações sociais de cuidadoras, sobre o trabalho de cuidado, em um serviço de acolhimento institucional para crianças e jovens. Com base na noção de trabalho do care e na Teoria das Representações Sociais, foram identificados os dispositivos legais e as políticas que regulam o funcionamento cotidiano da instituição, buscando compreender como está configurado o trabalho das cuidadoras, os significados que elas atribuem ao trabalho e a forma como o realizam em relação aos seus sentimentos e motivações. Ancoradas na identidade e nas habilidades consideradas tipicamente femininas e culturalmente difundidas na sociedade, as representações das cuidadoras apontam as contradições do trabalho de cuidado nos abrigos institucionais, cuja trama subjetiva intrínseca tanto lhe é essencial quanto pode colidir com as normas que o regulamentam e, ainda, reproduzir um modelo de divisão do trabalho que estabelece conexão direta entre cuidado e gênero feminino. Palavras

Institutionalized child care experiences: the hidden side of work

“…It is observed that child's care is learned in the daily experiences, and that previous experiences favor the caregivers. Therefore, care is not natural, but it happens through experience, and in child institutionalization the understanding of the life history and the suffering of the sheltered child is fundamental for performing the work (7) .…”

“…In this speech, lack of recognition is linked to the invisibility condition of the caregivers who, despite being with the children daily, are not heard as for their perspectives nor considered by the legal organs. In the care work for institutionalized children, the caregiver does not have a secure listening room, with constructive experience exchanges (7) . Thus, lack of preparation and guidance as well as deficiencies in communication weaken teamwork and the provided care (7) .…”

“…In the care work, interaction networks are created that embrace emotions and relationships and affect all involved (7) . In this context, the caregiver must develop patience, calm, love and confidence in the search for balance (7) .…”

“…In the care work, interaction networks are created that embrace emotions and relationships and affect all involved (7) . In this context, the caregiver must develop patience, calm, love and confidence in the search for balance (7) . However, this is not an easy task, since caregivers often suffer in the relationship developed with the child, especially, at the end of the sheltering, which makes them sad (8) .…”

“…However, this is not an easy task, since caregivers often suffer in the relationship developed with the child, especially, at the end of the sheltering, which makes them sad (8) . Therefore, training for the work is essential for caregivers to be able to perform their function in an integral way, and this is still quite flawed in most of the institutions (7,9) . From the above, the following guiding question was elaborated: What is the caregiver's perception on work/care with the institutionalized child?…”