<b>Reporting family violence against children and adolescents in the perception of health professionals</b> - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v8i1.7774

Abstract

This is a qualitative research with the purpose of knowing the perception of professionals of a University Hospital, on the importance of reporting on violence against children and adolescents. Data collection was performed by means of semi-structured interviews in the period from January to March 2008 in two units of a University Hospital in the far southern Brazil, focusing on the importance of reporting family violence against children and adolescents, procedures adopted by professionals in relation to the notification, the strategies for confronting the violence and the difficulties encountered in this process. By thematic analysis of the data, it was found that in spite of the professionals consider the importance of reporting, the number of notifications is still very small which runs from obstacles, possibly related to lack of a protocol to orient and support the professionals’ actions. To confront the violence, a multidisciplinary approach, the existence of protocols of action, and a systematic exchange of ideas of professionals are indicated in order to contribute to the process of notification, breaking with its current characteristic of an isolated and disarticulated act of competence essentially individual. For this reason, there is a need for institutional involvement in order to provide the professionals with a necessary support.