This qualitative-based, descriptive, exploratory research aimed to provide an account of the vulnerability of children with special health needs in terms of required care and everyday life support. The subjects were ten family members/caregivers of children who were approached in a pediatric admission unit of a teaching hospital. Data were produced by means of the creative and sensitive method, mediated by creativity and sensitivity group dynamics and submitted to French discourse analysis. Results pointed out that the individual, social and programmatic vulnerability of children was translated into their clinical frailty, difficulty in gaining access to healthcare services, and absence of specific public policies. The study recommends that the referral and counter-referral system, as well as the specific healthcare public programs and policies aimed at this clientele, be restructured. For this purpose, nursing professionals should strive to actively listen to family members/caregivers and subjectively recognize the home-based caregiving process carried out by the families.
Child Health; Pediatric Nursing; Vulnerability; Family
