The prevalence of child abuse is higher in families with psychosocial vulnerabilities or when one or both parents experienced abuse or neglect during childhood. While the most widespread intervention approaches in Canada (e.g. material support or parenting skills programs) show mixed results in providing changes in mistreatment cycles, we examine clinical practice focused on generational repetition of trauma. In order to explore this topic, this paper has 4 objectives and will be supported by a narrative review of the literature: (1) to document the causalities of child maltreatment; (2) to identify the clinical challenges of struggling parents; (3) to develop a critical analysis of the intervention programs commonly spread in Canada; (4) to take into account multifaceted vulnerabilities of these families through innovative practice perspectives. (C) 2015 Societe francaise de psychologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.