On the meanings of care: Narratives of adolescents with lived experience of homelessness in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Abstract

The micropolitics of care allows for an understanding of its construction as multifaceted, shaped through everyday interactions, negotiation of meanings, and the ways in which people organize themselves to sustain life, even in contexts where rights are being violated. The aim of this study is to explore the meanings of care constructed by institutionalized adolescents experiencing homelessness in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires between October and December 2023. A qualitative study was conducted, incorporating elements of participatory action research, with eight male adolescents living in two residential care homes. Through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, the study addressed the various meanings of care as related to their life experiences. Among their affective bonds, they mentioned family, residential institutions, and peers/friends. The identified care strategies include rescuing themselves, making use of institutions, and speaking to an "other." In the conclusions, the centrality of the category of care is proposed, from which the meanings of affective bonds and care strategies emerge, and questions are raised to rethink how health professionals can support adolescents.