In order to promote family reunification, 15 children, aged between 0 and 5 years, who are currently living in Temporary Shelters as well as in Childhood and Youth Homes will be covered by the Programme for the Development of Affective Bonds in sheltered children (VINCA). This initiative was implemented in July 2011.

The project developed by the Regional Secretariat for Labour and Social Solidarity and promoted by the Azores Institute for Social Development aims to maintain the family/child bond by acknowledging the participation of families in the development of children and youngsters. For this purpose, this initiative has created the necessary conditions to support and monitor parents/reference figure in order to promote a safe and timely family reunification.

Furthermore, VINCA, in collaboration with families, intends to provide children with the opportunity to develop properly and harmoniously, responding to the needs brought by this development; encourage families for change, promoting their active participation; entitle families the right and duty to participate in the personal development plans of children; promote and reinforce parenting skills through the involvement of parent in daily routines; support and monitor parent/reference figure; support, train and monitor foster families.

Through this programme, we also intend to promote a protective and healing environment at Temporary Shelters and Childhood and Youth Homes, adjusting, as much as possible, the organisational and operational dynamics of institutions to a family environment.

Moreover, the initiative was developed with the purpose of responding the children's development needs in a physical and emotional environment that encourages an active learning in close collaboration with families.
 
Ensuring the conditions to strengthen ties between children and their families and speeding up children's life projects to ensure a safe transition from the institution to their family environment are other goals of VINCA.