Docentes em pós-pandemia e práticas de cuidado em saúde mental da Secretaria Municipal da Educação de Fortaleza.

Abstract

The issue of teachers’ mental health has gained increasing attention in academic discussions, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed multiple vulnerabilities in primary education institutions regarding the well-being of their professionals. Within this context, this master’s research, developed in the concentration area Mental Health and Practices of the Graduate Program in Psychology at the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), aimed to understand how the care practices adopted by the Municipal Department of Education (SME) contribute to promoting teachers’ mental health in the post-pandemic work environment.This qualitative, intervention-based study was carried out in three complementary stages, from April to December 2024, in three public schools in Fortaleza, Brazil. The theoretical framework draws on authors such as Dejours (1992), Safatle (2018), and Canguilhem (2009), as well as current educational legislation related to public policies for mental health care. Data collection involved a sociodemographic questionnaire, administered both online (via Google Forms) and in person, completed by 32 teachers. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with nine of these teachers, in addition to an SME manager, and finally, reflective discussion circles with 15 teachers, which served both as a data production method and as an intervention. The data were organized into five analytical categories: (a) emotional impact of the pandemic and post-pandemic period on mental health; (b) work overload and the deterioration of working conditions; (c) institutional and cultural barriers to accessing psychosocial support; (d) interpersonal conflicts and fragility in school relationships; and (e) strategies, policies, and care practices in teachers’ daily routines. Findings indicate that many teachers are unaware of the psychosocial support services available to them, and among those who are aware, access remains difficult, resulting in low utilization rates. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of institutional initiatives for mental health care in the school work environment. As part of the intervention, reflective and educational discussion circles were held with the participating teachers, and a technical product was developed: a digital guide entitled Mental Health in Schools: Between Stress and Daily Care, grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The guide offers practical, evidence-based strategies to assist teachers in managing stress within the school environment. The study concludes that teachers’ mental health remains neglected in this context, either due to limited access to care practices or due to institutional shortcomings in promoting them. It underscores the need for educational institutions to advocate for more targeted public policies that ensure effective mental health care actions for educators and the broader school community. Ultimately, caring for those who teach is an act of resistance, struggle, transformation, and, above all, a genuine commitment to social justice.