The Practice of the Psychologist in Brazilian Social Welfare

The presence of psychologists in Brazilian social welfare has been increasing and the reality of psychology in this context is still surrounded by doubts and questions about the roles and identity of this professional in a social context of poverty and material needs. This article analyzes the psychologists’ work in the social welfare context considering the working conditions of these professionals. Participants of the study were 1,100 psychologists of all Brazilian regions, who answered an online questionnaire covering sociodemographic and work issues. The main results indicate that social welfare psychologists are poorly remunerated, have extensive workloads and are not technically prepared to deal with the issues that arise in the institutions they work. It was also found that the technical references are vague and only highlight ways, not prescribing specifi c activities. Therefore, the professionals must use their own resources to achieve the National Social Assistance Policy goals, adopting a creative and inventive approach.