Analysis of discourses on the practice of occupational therapists with children residing in the better childhood protection network (Mejor Niñez)

Abstract Introduction Since 2021, when the violation of fundamental rights of minors is judicially determined, the Specialized Child and Adolescent Protection Service "Mejor Niñez" has implemented protective measures. This institution has introduced new guidelines, incorporating occupational therapists into professional teams in protective residential facilities. Objective To contribute to the limited bibliographic corpus on occupational therapy in Chile within the context of protective residential care, aiming to highlight this professional field. Method A descriptive-analytical methodology was employed, characterized by a qualitative-quantitative approach with a predominance of the qualitative perspective. An ethnographic approach was used to gather information from occupational therapists working in the residential protection programs of Mejor Niñez. Data analysis used the Collective Subject Discourse method, complemented by theoretical perspectives from the anthropology of health, the body, and violence, to enrich the interpretation from an interdisciplinary and critical viewpoint. Results The findings underscore the importance of therapeutic rapport in humanized interventions, highlighting the perception of professional competence as a key factor in job retention. Conclusion Risk factors such as (over)adaptation to stress, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout emerge, affecting the well-being of occupational therapists and creating tensions that affect job retention.