In this work we study the process of hosting children, based on the reports of children received and on teachers of an institution located in a town in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Five children and five teachers were listened to. For data collection we organized 27 workshops with the children, who were divided into two groups, and semi-structured interviews with the teachers. The results show the importance of the careful listening to children, as it allows the narratives of their experiences. Regarding the educators it was observed that interaction with children occurs primarily in basic care. It is suggested the need for policies to train these professionals, and strategies to rescue the life story of the children hosted, since the institutional routines and complexity of host eventually disregard this important aspect of human construction.
Children; shelters; educators