ABSTRACT
This paper reports a qualitative field research which aimed to study the affectional bond in the context of institutional reception. Four social mothers, 31 children and five adolescents participated in the study. A semistructured interview was carried out with each social mother and, in each house, three participant observations. The data were analyzed using the Thematic Analysis technique, with two categories of analysis being specified. The work revealed aspects that may make it difficult to establish affectional bond: a lack of activities that stimulate interaction, excess of domestic activities and the lack of preparation of the social mothers for the exercise of the function. However, despite the difficulties encountered, the study showed that it is possible to form affectional bond in this context.
Keywords:
institutional care; emotional ties; social mothers