Neglected caregivers: Analysis of the technical guidelines of child maltreatment and child sexual abuse programs

Abstract

The national technical guidelines for providing treatment to children who have been physically or sexually abused in Chile (PRM), still in use during the transition to the new National Service for the Specialized Protection of Children and Adolescents, outlines methods and interventions for the recovery pathways of these families. Employing critical discourse analysis, this study examined the role attributed to caregivers of children within these guidelines, focusing on their subject position. The results reveal a unidimensional portrayal of caregivers, emphasizing their protective role exclusively. The discussion addresses how their own experiences and subjectivities are overlooked in the process despite the therapy being declared holistic and systemic. The suggestion is made for the new guidelines to fully integrate adults beyond their protective role, advocating for a policy that comprehensively supports these families as a system.