It has been acknowledged that Child Protection System professionals may face ethical dilemmas regarding their work with the children/youth and families. Within this field of work, Residential care staff often cope with complex and stressful events in challenging professional and organizational contexts, while providing care to children and youth with demanding needs. However, to our knowledge, no studies have specifically focused on the ethical tensions faced by residential care staff in their roles both as professionals within a specific social and organizational context, and as “surrogate parents” to the children and youth in care. The present qualitative study will use semi-structured interviews with 30 residential care professionals to explore the challenging events and ethical tensions they face at work, and their educational values and expectations towards the children and youth in care. Thematic analysis will allow for identifying major themes on this issue and generate inputs for further research, aiming to improve staff training and inform policy and practice on residential care services.

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residential care,staff,dilemmas,values,expectations