Social representations of psychosocial pairs on professional actions carried out in municipalized schools, Chillán, Chile

Abstract

The article analyzes the social representations of psychosocial pairs of municipal schools and discusses the definition and objective of this intervention device, which enters Chilean schools as one of the measures of social inclusion. We affirm that the school, as a space for human development, must assume responsibility for the inequities that prevent the most vulnerable children from becoming fully integrated into school life. However, the mere installation of the psychosocial duo in schools does not seem sufficient. Through group interviews, we approach the representation of psychosocial pairs to understand their work and how they are integrated into the school space. The results indicate that the process of insertion into schools has been difficult and excessively depends on the peculiarities and specific demands of each school. Teachers demonstrate resistance to the pairs" actions, and ask them to carry out low-skill activities. The findings indicate a wide variability in functions and an excessive burden of administrative functions. Thus, the work of educational inclusion is co-opted by a variety of administrative obligations that divert the pair"s attention from the main purpose of working on educational inequality and inequity.