The aim of this study is to investigate some mothers’ perception regarding paternal care in families who live in psychosocial risk situations. A comparison among families whose children attend day nursery institutions and families whose children are on wait lists is carried out. Interviews, including identification data and open questions about the families and their care, were applied to 30 families and, then, taped and transcribed. The open questions were analyzed according to the content analysis method. Considering the closed questions, the frequency of answers occurred was analyzed in order to characterize the specific elements of the fathers’ participation. Mothers described the activities their partners use to share with the children, such as going out, playing, talking and singing, however, not all of them were considered as care activities. It was observed that fathers spend their time with the children differently from mothers.
Paternal care; family development; risk situation
