The personhood of care workers of children in residential alternative care

Abstract

This dissertation explores the personhood of care workers in residential alternative care settings in Malta, with a particular focus on their attachment narratives as central to understanding their caregiving roles. Using a narrative research approach, the study engaged with seven female care workers to co-construct lived stories that illuminate how past and present attachment experiences shape their sense of self, relationships, and professional identity. The analysis reveals a central narrative of “becoming through care,” where caregiving emerges as a transformative, relational process through which personhood is both expressed and developed. Findings highlight how emotional labour, empathy, and ethical sensitivity are deeply rooted in care workers’ attachment histories, influencing their approach to children with relational trauma. Participants often described caregiving as “like” motherhood, capturing the emotional intensity and secure-base function of their role, while also revealing tensions around professional boundaries. Many entered the field unexpectedly yet developed strong attachments that evolved into a vocation. Their narratives reflect how care work extends the self, with identity shaped through ongoing reflection, peer support, training, and therapeutic engagement. This study underscores the dynamic intersection between personal and professional selves in residential care work, calling for attachment-informed frameworks that acknowledge care workers’ relational depth and emotional investment. By centring their voices, this research contributes to a richer understanding of how care workers make meaning of their roles and highlights the need for supportive structures that honour and sustain their personhood.