In Brazil, most of the actions that fight child labor offers financial support to the victim's families as a supplement to their lost income. Nevertheless, previous studies have shown that many children remain in their work lurked to a belief by the children themselves, their families, their employers and even technicians who are responsible for the erradication of child labor, that this kind of work will bring benefits to the children. Accordingly, the success of the actions intended to reduce child labor should be connected and conditioned to better comprehension of these aspects. This study contributes to this understanding, presenting issues about the social and historical processes by which the ideology of labor as educative and dignifying was settled down in the mentality of Brazilian people and has oriented the public policies related to childhood.
Work; Child work; Ideology; Public policies