This work investigated the concept of family to children in residential care, as well as to professionals from the same institution. Three girls between nine and ten years old and three professionals (a social worker, a director and monitors) participated in the work. Data collection with the children was performed through a focus group, in which playful and symbolic resources were used. In addition, the family drawing was asked and a semi-structured individual interview was performed. With the professionals, semi-structured interviews were used. The results were analyzed through content analysis, and the findings showed that children have the representation of family related to their family of origin, to the single parent family and to the nuclear family. The professionals' perception is formed by the representations of their families of origin and by their perceptions of families of institutionalized children under the bias of risk and blame. Thus, it becomes necessary to open spaces for reflection on the family model with the team of the institution, so that they can notice the new family configurations in today's society and the protective factors present in the families of these children, overcoming a pathological vision.
Family; Child institutionalized; Risk factors; Family structure; Shelters
