The goal of this study was to longitudinally understand the family reunification process of three adolescents who lived in shelters. Home visits and Reunification Interview were used with the adolescents and a family member, during a time that ranged from six to 18 months. The results highlighted that such families socially vulnerable; there was no family and adolescents preparation for the reinsertion; and there was no support after such process of detachment from the institution. Two adolescents were satisfied with reunification after some months, although the poor conditions and low academic achievement had been perceived as a problem by the participants. On the third case, there were problems to handle reunification and the adolescent returned to the shelter. The need of public policies and programs, develop by able professionals, engaging with the shelters, are discussed, aiming to promotion family reunification.
institutionalization; family reunification; public policies