nÃo hà / O estudo circunscreve a temÃtica âO ExercÃcio do Controle Social no Ãmbito dos Conselhos de AssistÃncia Social: Uma avaliaÃÃo em Processoâ. As razÃes deste empreendimento investigativo decorrem da prÃpria experiÃncia profissional da pesquisadora como Assistente Social e servidora pÃblica, no processo de implementaÃÃo da PolÃtica PÃblica de AssistÃncia SÃcia no Estado do CearÃ. O nosso interesse incidiu na investigaÃÃo do controle social da gestÃo da polÃtica pÃblica de assistÃncia social, dentre os vÃrios mecanismos da gestÃo participativa, dispostos no Sistema Descentralizado e Participativo da ConstituiÃÃo Federal de 1988 e na Lei OrgÃnica de AssistÃncia Social â LOAS de 1993. Tomamos, como campo de estudo, o Conselho Estadual de AssistÃncia Social do Estado do Cearà e os Conselhos Municipais de AssistÃncia Social de Fortaleza e de Horizonte, buscando compreender como se processam a dinÃmica participativa e o controle social no funcionamento desses trÃs Conselhos. O estudo consiste em avaliar os limites e as possibilidades desses espaÃos pÃblicos em viabilizar a descentralizaÃÃo da polÃtica pÃblica de assistÃncia social e garantir o controle direto da sociedade sobre o desempenho governamental na gestÃo desta polÃtica. De forma especÃfica, buscamos alcanÃar os seguintes objetivos: resgatar a trajetÃria de implantaÃÃo da PolÃtica de AssistÃncia Social no Ãmbito do Estado do CearÃ, privilegiando a institucionalizaÃÃo dos Conselhos; avaliar o processo de participaÃÃo da sociedade civil nas decisÃes atinentes à construÃÃo da PolÃtica de AssistÃncia Social; refletir sobre as potencialidades dos Conselhos na defesa dos direitos socioassistenciais, no contexto de redimensionamento das relaÃÃes entre Estado e sociedade civil; configurar estratÃgias de atuaÃÃo, adotadas pelos Conselhos no exercÃcio de suas competÃncias. A pesquisa compreendeu estudo bibliogrÃfico, investigaÃÃo documental e pesquisa de campo. Assim, empreendemos uma exaustiva analise da documentaÃÃo dos Conselhos, resgatando informaÃÃes e dados, reconstruindo, desse modo, a memÃria destes espaÃos. O trabalho de campo envolveu mÃltiplas alternativas: observaÃÃo sistemÃtica nas reuniÃes ordinÃrias e extraordinÃrias dos trÃs Conselhos em estudo, nas comissÃes e nas capacitaÃÃes dos conselheiros; entrevistas com tÃcnicos da Ex- LegiÃo Brasileira de AssistÃncia (LBA), Secretaria da AÃÃo Social (SAS), Secretaria do Trabalho e Desenvolvimento Social (STDS), Presidentes, Vice presidentes e Ex-presidentes dos Conselhos. Assim, resgata a critica dos tÃcnicos e conselheiros, expondo a distÃncia entre a concepÃÃo e a realidade dos conselhos. Em termos conclusivos, o estudo (re) afirma potencialidades, limites e tensÃes vivenciadas nos espaÃos dos Conselhos no exercÃcio do controle social, na condiÃÃo de processo polÃtico em construÃÃo. / The study circumscribes the theme âThe exercise of Social Control within the Councils of Social Service: An Ongoing Evaluationâ. The reasons for this investigative project have their source within the researcherâs own professional experience as a Social Worker and public servant related to the implementation of Public Policies of Social Service in the State of Ceara. The researcherâs interest fell on the investigation of Social Control related to the public administration of social service, which is one of several tools of participative administration according to the Decentralized and Participative System regulated by the Federal Constitution of 1988, and by the Organic Law of Social Service (LOAS) of 1993. It was chosen as research fields the Stateâs Council of Social Service and the municipal councils of Social Service of Fortaleza and Horizonte in the effort to reveal how the participative dynamics and the social control function relation to those three councils. The study consists in evaluating limits and possibilities of those public undertakings aimed at making it possible the decentralization of public policies of social service and guarantee direct control by society of governmental administration of those policies. In a very specific way it was tried by the researcher to reach the following objectives: to rescue the efforts expended in the implantation of Social Service Policies in the State of Ceara highlighting the institutionalization of Councils; to evaluate the process of societyâs participation in decisions dealing with establishing Social Service Policies; to analyze the potentialities of Councils in defending social service rights within the context of re-dimensioning relations between state and society; configure action strategies adopted by the Councils within the realm of their competence. The research encompassed a bibliographic study, investigation of documents and field research. An exhaustive analysis was carried on documents issued by the Councils rescuing information and data, in this fashion reconstructing the memory related to those undertakings. Field work involved several alternatives: systematic observation of ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the three Councils under examination, evaluation of commissions and training of counselors; interviews with technicians from former LBA (Brazilian Legion of Social Assistance), SAS (Social Action Secretariat) and STDS (Labor and Social Development Secretariat); and with presidents, vice-presidents and former presidents of the Councils. In this way, it rescues the critical evaluation of technicians and counselors revealing the distance between conception and reality of councils. In concluding, the study reassesses potentialities, limits and tensions experienced within spaces of Councils in the exercise of social control according to a condition of a political process under way.