Family violence against children and adolescents: A study about professional practices

Family violence against children and adolescents is a problem of global and historical magnitude around the world. In Brazil, it is responsible for 25% of deaths between the ages of 1 and 9 years and takes the first place when... [ view full abstract ]

Family violence against children and adolescents is a problem of global and historical magnitude around the world. In Brazil, it is responsible for 25% of deaths between the ages of 1 and 9 years and takes the first place when death occurs between 5 and 19 years. This study had as general objective to understand the relationship between professionals and families whose children are victims of parental violence. It aims to: a) identify in the official documents the guidelines that guide the organization of professional practices and services to families in situations of violence; b) identify in the professional discourses about how they take possession of official documents and about how they translate them into their practice with families. A qualitative study was carried out in Rio Grande / RS / Brazil, whose data sources consist of: official documents governing the network of child care/protection; and semi-structured interviews with fifteen professionals (nurses, physicians, social workers, psychologists, counselors and community health agents. The results showed three categories that depict: (1) family referral to other professionals and services as a way to transfer the responsibility for safeguarding the children; (2) the preservation of the family at the expense of child protection; (3) change of function: between the legal and clinical professional role. The conclusion underlines the way the professionals take possession of official documents is influenced by power relations that prevail in the institutions; the concept of family as a private space; and the confrontation between violence as a responsibility of the health sector or the social sector. As an outcome, professional practices contribute more to silence the family violence than to protect children.
Keywords: Family Violence; Children; Adolescents; Nursing.