In Quebec, interventions in Youth Protection focus on families surviving in poverty or extreme poverty: around 45% of families live on social assistance and more than 50% report an annual income of less than $15,000. Consequently, it appears relevant to study the way poverty is discussed in the Youth Division jurisprudence. Case law analysis reveals that poverty is not discussed in judicial decisions, only mentioned. On the other hand, the discourse in the jurisprudence suggests a family representation largely based on the reproduction of gender roles, giving rise to differential parental treatment. From a random sample of 100 decisions of the Youth Division, the author analyzes the jurisprudential discourse on the mothers of the Youth Protection. If a set of recurring issues overlaps the scientific literature on parenting skills, others relate to a traditional conception of maternity. Regardless of material reality and the presence or absence of fathers, responsibility for the well-being and development of children is usually assigned to mothers. In connection with this responsibility, the court orders them to change their behaviour or lifestyle, in some cases beyond its competence and against scientific knowledge on poverty effects.