PSYCHOLOGY AND CREAS: A REVIEW OF THE ROLE IN CASES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Violence against children and adolescents is a complex, persistent phenomenon with a significant social impact, directly affecting their physical, psychological, and social development. It constitutes a serious violation of human rights, requiring coordinated responses from different sectors. In this context, the role of psychologists in the special social protection services of the Social Assistance Policy, specifically in the Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers (CREAS), is an important element in guaranteeing the protection foreseen in the legislation. This article aims to analyze the scientific production on the role of psychology professionals in providing care to children and adolescents who are victims of violence in CREAS. The methodology adopted was bibliographic research, with a narrative literature review, involving searches in scientific databases for materials on the subject, reading, and elaboration of a qualitative analysis of the results. Thirty-eight articles were found, of which 12 met the established criteria for the study. The qualitative analysis led to four main axes: the role of the psychologist in CREAS; violence as a social and multidimensional phenomenon; challenges and limitations of the practice; The importance of the protection network and intersectoral coordination was highlighted, with common aspects and differences identified in the collected material. It is concluded that the psychologist's role in the Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers (CREAS) represents an essential axis of comprehensive protection for victims of violence, articulating technical and ethical-political dimensions in the promotion of rights, the strengthening of the protection network, and the transformation of the conditions that perpetuate the violation of rights.