The humanization of healthcare is one of the key priorities of healthcare policies in Brazil, and directly reflects on the attitudes of user, employees and managers of health services. The aim of this study was to identify perception of the nursing team in terms of humanization of assistance in a neonatal and paediatric intensive care unit based on exploratory-descriptive research and a qualitative approach. A total of 11 members of a nursing team at the neonatal and paediatric intensive care unit of a hospital in southern Brazil participated in this study. Data was collected by means of semi structured interviews that were subsequently processed according to reference standards of thematic content analysis. This analysis resulted in three thematic categories: to humanize is to perceive the other as all-providing and all-supportive; bonding and communication as humanizing practices; and lack of ambience as a dehumanizing practice. Results showed that perception of the nursing team in relation to humanization is determined by the actual science and awareness of nursing care rather than specific acknowledgement of the National Humanization Policy.