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This paper examines the link between mental functioning of mothers and symptoms of post-traumatic stress of maltreated children. The main hypothesis is that there is a link between indicators of mothers’ coherence of mind related to their attachment to their children and symptoms of post-traumatic stress in maltreated children. A second hypothesis holds that the severity of maltreatment within the dyad mediates this link. The sample is composed of 47 mother-child dyads recruited from Child Protection Agencies in the Province of Quebec (Canada). Children are 4-10 years old. Research instruments are: Child Behavior Checklist (post-traumatic stress – Child), Child Abuse Potential Inventory (severity of maltreatment – Mother) and Coherence of Mind Scale from Adult Attachment Interview (mental functioning – Mother). Results show that children’s symptoms of post-traumatic stress are correlated to mothers’ lack of coherence of mind. Severity of maltreatment is a mediator of the link between children’s post-traumatic stress and mothers’ lack of coherence of mind. The discussion explores the consequences for intervention with mistreated children and their mothers.