The objective of the present article is to analyse the professional and life trajectories of a group of mothers and the meaning which they attribute to the work of looking after children in a home-based crèche in the municipality of São Gonçalo in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The theoretical framework includes sociological and anthropological studies on working class families, gender, work and education. The analysis reveals that the meanings translate a family-oriented perspective of education, which takes place by means of the delegation of the responsibility for raising children to those looking after them.
home-based crèche; working class families; work; marriage; delegation; education