NOGUEIRA, Paula Cristina    COSTA, Liana Fortunato. The child, the social mother and the orphanage: limitations and possibilities. Rev. bras. crescimento desenvolv. hum. []. 2005, 15, 3, pp.36-48. ISSN 0104-1282.

This article intends to reflect the reality of children who are temporarily living in orphanages. The objective is to understand the role of the caretaker in charge of the children in this context. A qualitative research was developed in an institution that receives and takes care of children from birth to three years old. All the children are under the responsibility of a social mother. The "home" analyzed in the study was responsible for the care of twelve children and four adolescents (one of them being the biological child of the social mother). The study conducted a total of six observations utilizing etnomethodology, which focused on the social mother caring routines involving physical care, playing periods, feeding and going to bed. The observations led the researchers to conclude that a social mothers background qualifications are the most important aspect to be observed if we consider the importance of adequate care offered to children who have been living in orphanages, as a result of being of previous abandoned.

: Institutionalized child; Orphanage; Social mother.

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