In this article, we reflect on the care practices and relationships that contribute to the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities, living in a poor neighbourhood of Porto Alegre (Brazil), in a context of incipient public policies for this population. Through the ethnographic description of the experience of three women from who are responsible for adult relatives with what they call ‘head troubles’, we aim to illustrate the gender, generation, class and ethnicity peculiarities of their trajectories. We consider that taking stock of the various dynamics at play in situations of care, as well as the interaction of the family, neighbourhood, and public resources available to deal with such challenges, is a fundamental step for forging efficient policies adjusted to the complexities of the contemporary context.