Abstract
This qualitative study introduces the theme of the tutelary counselors' representations to broaden the understanding of these social players' universe and to get to know their implications regarding the dynamics of their work process. The study was conducted in the city of Coronel Vivida, in the state of Paraná, Brazil, in 2013. A semi-structured questionnaire and an informal interview were used to collect the data, and the material was treated using the Collective Subject Discourse analysis technique. The results show that the tutelary counselors' perceptions went through the recognition of a few peremptory aspects inherent to their practice, such as impotence in the face of the disturbing social scenarios to which they are exposed, along with the restriction of the scope of their action linked to structural barriers in the existing social protection networks, in addition to the population's low levels of adherence to their work process. They also reveal a deep-seated satisfaction in the developments of work they have done and that which has a positive impact on juvenile violence; this satisfaction, in turn, is considered as fuel for the development of their professional skills. The considerations this study captured confirm the presence of relevant gradations inherent in the relational process of the tutelary counselors in their work environment, supporting the recognition of the guiding parameters of the intersubjective relationship between the tutelary counselor and the social praxis.
Keywords
violence; child; teen; community-institution relations