Quando a proteção não alcança: uma análise do trabalho infantil a partir das notificações na Política de Assistência Social de Juiz de Fora/MG

Abstract

This study analyzes child labor reports in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, based on records produced within the Municipal Social Assistance Policy, with a focus on cases monitored by the Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers (CREAS). The study aims to understand child labor as an expression of the Social Question and to analyze the role of the social assistance policy in the identification, monitoring, and prevention of this violation of rights. This is a qualitative study, developed through a literature review and documentary analysis of legislation, regulations, institutional documents, and administrative records from the Municipal Department of Social Assistance. The findings indicate that child labor remains associated with social, economic, and territorial inequalities, primarily affecting families marked by social inequalities. The study also found that the CREAS play a significant role in the specialized follow-up of these cases and that the indicators generated from technical records constitute important tools for planning, monitoring, and managing actions aimed at combating child labor. However, challenges related to underreporting, inconsistencies in the records, and the difficulty of identifying situations not reached by social assistance services were also identified. It is concluded that strengthening the processes of recordkeeping, monitoring, and intersectoral coordination is essential to improve the production of information and expand the protection of children and adolescents engaged in child labor.