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A clinical encounter, held in an office in a difficult neighborhood, with a suffering African family in which two children are being mistreated. Supported by the presence of a network of partners who have been in contact with the children, we chose to try and begin psychological work. This work was undertaken in rudimentary conditions, in a rudimentary setting and limited by the fact that those responsible for child protection do not take into account children’s suffering.But nonetheless the group’s work began, and internal changes and renewed involvement in their own family story occurred, enabling the children to create symbolic links. The question continually arises in this type of clinical work with difficult families of whether we are becoming party to the mistreatment, or are rather enabling psychological development sufficient for the family to initiate separation.