The mediational profile of social mothers and their interactions in shelters

How does a child in a shelter develop? What can be done to optimise this development? How do the characteristics of caregivers interfere with the development of children in shelters? This book aims to contribute to the discussion about shelters as a context for development and the importance of continuing education for their professionals shedding some light on the issue of sheltering which affects a significant number of children and their families. Thus understanding the mediational profile of the social mother becomes pertinent given her importance in the lives of children at risk and since appropriate interactions between children and their caregivers are important for child development and foster secure bonds especially among institutionalised children. A historical survey on the development of public policies for children and adolescents at risk is presented followed by data collection in a shelter and a proposal for intervention with the professionals who directly care for these children using Feuerstein's Mediated Learning approach.