A maternidade atípica e a ausência de políticas públicas no Brasil: a invisibilidade das mães de pessoas com deficiência no contexto brasileiro

Abstract

This capstone project analyzes the absence and insufficiency of public policies aimed at women experiencing "atypical motherhood" a term referring to the experience of raising a child with a disability viewing this reality as an expression of the "social question." The study begins with the premise that the care of persons with disabilities remains socially assigned to women, particularly mothers, thereby impacting their living conditions, labor market participation, financial autonomy, and access to social rights. The general objective was to analyze how gaps in public policies affect these women's lives, identifying the limitations of the social protection provided by the State. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted based on the historicaldialectical materialist method, utilizing bibliographic, documentary, and field research. Empirical research was carried out with 27 caregivers of persons with disabilities users of two specialized institutions—using semi-structured interviews for data collection. The results revealed that participants experience an intense burden stemming from their near-exclusive responsibility for caregiving; this compromises their labor market participation, reduces their economic autonomy, and exacerbates situations of social vulnerability. It was also found that, although significant social protection instruments exist such as the Organic Law on Social Assistance (LOAS), the National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS), the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC), and the Brazilian Inclusion Law limitations persist regarding access to, the scope of, and the actual implementation of these rights. The study concludes that atypical motherhood extends beyond the private sphere and constitutes an expression of inequalities generated by capitalist society, highlighting the need to strengthen public policies and expand State responsibility in providing social protection for persons with disabilities and their families especially for the women who shoulder the burden of caregiving.