Child analysis and child psychotherapy require constant attention to intrapsychic and intrafamilial processes. Bion's theories regarding unconscious functioning within groups are particularly useful for understanding progressive and regressive shifts within families. The concepts of work group and basic assumption modes in family groups are examined, as are group mentality and group culture. Clinical examples of work with parents of children in analysis and analytic therapy utilizing these concepts are provided. It is suggested that attention to the unconscious relations within a family can elucidate the unconscious object relations observed in children in treatment.