Family breakdown, unemployment and solitude: life stories of the homeless population assisted by the care services of Municipal Social Welfare and Development of São Paulo

Abstract

This study aim is to deepen the knowledge about the street population on what concerns the life histories of the people housed under the assisted-care services of SMADS- Municipal Social Welfare and Development, in order to ascertain the cause of family and community breakdown of individual that due to their socio-economic vulnerability are potentially exposed to rupture and exclusion situations. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected through surveys with open and closed questions as well as oral testimonies gathered from the technical coordinator and a surveys of population in order to obtain a representative sample concerning the entire local city halls office in the city of São Paulo.