Ethnotheories and Interaction Patterns with Children's Families: An Ethno-CA Study in three children’s homes

The research on alternative care, in conjunction with evidence from the field of family education, has robustly demonstrated that a crucial factor influencing the success of child protection projects is the continuity of the relationship with biological families and their active participation, both subject to judicial approval. However, there is limited understanding of how this relationship unfolds in the specific context of residential care for children. Building on this consideration, this contribution relies on an in-depth ethno-CA study conducted in three group homes in Rome, Italy. For the purpose of this study, we scrutinize and compare declarative data, including professionals’ perspectives expressed during ethnographic interviews and embedded within their educational documents, with observational data derived from ethnographic records and video-recorded dinnertime interactions. The objective of this contribution is to thoroughly analyze instances of relational continuity with biological families, drawing on Fruggeri’s work (1997, 2009) on the epistemological models of family interaction among care professionals. Specifically, the focus is on educators as key figures who play a pivotal role in either shaping or undermining daily practices of family relational continuity and family participation in residential care for children.