PRE-PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP LINKED TO THE CHILDCARE BENEFIT

Abstract

Pre-Professional Social Work Internship Linked to the Childcare Benefit

The pre-professional Social Work internship carried out at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) was oriented toward the management and implementation of Ministerial Agreement MDT-2023-085, a regulation that guarantees the right to the childcare benefit for sons and daughters under five years of age of working individuals. The main objective was to ensure equitable access to this right from a perspective of equity, shared responsibility, and social justice. The intervention was based on the Social Work with Groups Method, which enabled the use of techniques such as surveys, document review, institutional mapping, and visits to childcare centers. The results show that, from a total of nearly 2,000 workers, 129 participated, and 74 effective beneficiaries were ultimately identified. A significant gap was observed between the amount of economic compensation established by the regulation and the actual costs of childcare services, which limits the possibility of establishing agreements with specialized centers and forces the adoption of direct monetary transfers as a compliance measure. This process reaffirms the strategic role of Social Work in managing labor rights, identifying needs, and building institutional strategies that promote inclusion, workplace well-being, and balance between family and professional life.