Social Assistance Professionals; LGBT Population; Social Assistance Services; Small Municipalities in Paraíba; João Pessoa.
This research aims to analyze the perceptions of social assistance professionals, including psychologists and social workers, as well as LGBT users, regarding the social assistance services used by this population in small municipalities of Paraíba and in the capital, João Pessoa. The focus is to assess the perceptions of technical professionals and LGBT users, identifying the qualities of the services offered and the challenges faced in these specific contexts. The methodology used consisted of data collection through semi-structured interviews with professionals and users. The study highlights the importance of understanding the perceptions of social assistance professionals and users in different regional contexts, taking into account cultural and local specificities when reflecting on the social assistance services aimed at the LGBT population. The results, based on the professionals’ statements, showed that while the capital offers more training opportunities aimed at serving the LGBT population, smaller municipalities predominantly lack such programs. Both professionals and users reported that none of the CRAS centers surveyed carry out specific actions for this group. However, it is worth noting that in July 2025, an LGBT group was created in one of the small municipalities, which has contributed to greater visibility of this population’s needs.