Perfil de salud y escolar en menores con medidas de protección y de programas sociales (Health and school profile of minors receiving protection measures and social programs)

This study determined the effect of health and school problems on minors receiving social aid, such as PER (Economic Aid Program) and PEP (Economic Aid and Care Measures Program). A total of 174 minors and 123 minors receiving PEP and PEP, respectively, were analyzed. The results show that 25% of the minors have physical and/or mental health problems. Their schooling involves problems related to absenteeism, academic performance, social adaptation and a lack of school material. There are differences in the number of problems detected depending on what kind of aid measures they are receiving. Minors included in the PEP program tend to have more problems in the areas of physical health, mental health, school adaptation and educational needs. In addition, they are members of families in which there is an above average number of other minors who have lived or live in foster care outside the family. The results show that specialized community intervention programs should be implemented and that the existing health and educational resources should be more closely integrated. In addition, approaches should be found to encourage these families to become more involved in the existing family intervention programs.