Abstract

BUSTAMANTE, Vania; OLIVEIRA, Rosângela  and  RODRIGUES, Nattana Brito. Reception and care of children and families in a child mental health service. Psicol. clin. [online]. 2017, vol.29, n.3, pp. 429-447. ISSN 0103-5665.

The present study aims to further the discussion of working with families in the practice of mental health and child development using a psychoanalytical approach. The history and current child mental health policies are reviewed within the context of the public health service in Brazil emphasizing how the family is treated. We also reflect on the contributions psychoanalysis can make in terms of child mental health, especially the contribution of Winnicott and the concepts of Acceptance (Holmes, 2012) and Care (Figueiredo, 2009). Some case studies were carried out involving children and their families attending a centre, looking forward to understand the therapeutic process: since the beginning coming from another institution, the construction of psycho diagnostics, feedback offered to family and therapeutic change observed. Sessions were transcribed and analysed with thematic analysis method. Our results show that reception, the main axis of therapeutic work, strengthens family ties and in turn affects the quality of care offered to the child. Finally, some conceptual advances and their practical application are suggested, addressing the importance of services able to fill the assistance gap among primary care and high complexity mental health services.

Keywords : mental health; infancy; care; psychoanalysis; family.

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