Introduction: This study is part of a multicentric research project conducted by researchers from the METUIA Network – Social Occupational Therapy, dedicated to understanding the reasons why young people do not remain in school and developing strategies to support their return and retention.
Objectives: The aim here is to analiser the multiple layers of events and situations that both hindered and enabled the implementation of active search strategies and the processes for establishing individualized and community-based follow-ups for young people experiencing school dropout and/or difficulties in staying enrolled.
Methodology: This was a participatory action-research study conducted between 2022 and 2023 in five public high schools located in different Brazilian cities, employing a variety of methodological procedures. The present analysis, based on general data produced by the research as a whole, relies on the analysis field diary records and researchers' reports.
Results: The findings highlight aspects such as the registration and availability of information about young people and their families by the schools, to their mobility across neighborhoods, and the ways in which young people construct their lifestyles highlighting the meanings they attribute to school—factors that influence their decision not to remain enrolled.
Conclusions: The study suggests that social occupational therapy can contribute to the development of new active search strategies, linked to the idea of continuous support that can effectively bring back or retain the many young people currently out of school. This approach emphasizes the role of public schools as a crucial element in forming a social support network for the majority of Brazilian youth.