The objective of this study was to evaluate the motor, cognitive and language development of babies living in two institutional contexts. Seventy babies participated in the study: 35 from prisons and 35 from shelters. Thirty-five mothers of hospitalized babies and 10 caregivers of hospitalized babies also participated in this study. The instruments used were the Bayley III child development scale and a sociodemographic characterization form for babies and caregivers. In prison, it was realized that affective relationships and environmental stimuli were predominant factors in the healthy performance of babies. At the shelter, the rigid routine and the high number of children per caregiver may have resulted in the babies' lower performance in the areas assessed. The results identified that the main variable that influences the development of institutionalized babies is the quality of affection provided and the duration of interaction that the baby maintains with other children and adults.