Challenges of the vocational rehabilitation developed by the Brazilian Social Security Institute (INSS): a cultural-historical approach

Abstract Introduction: changes in the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) service provided by the Brazilian Social Security Institute (INSS) led to contradictions between their results and what is expected from a social inclusion policy. Objective: to investigate how these changes affected work activity and how the VR service is facing the consequent issues. Methods: we conducted a historical analysis of the contradictions between the VR system elements based on the provision of this service by an INSS agency in the state of São Paulo. Ethnographic and discursive data were collected using the Change Laboratory method. Results: we evidenced that the VR service was historically reduced to vocational guidance and professional training. We identified the VR system had difficulties in addressing judicial orders, as well as there was a diminished installed capacity and task accumulation that hinder a proper assistance to workers. Conclusion: administrative reduction of the VR service, and the system of activities supported by social actors outside Social Security, without institutional articulation and cooperation protocols between services, demonstrates there is a gap between the VR historical dismantling and the disable workers’ social demands.