Child protection in Portugal

Abstract

his chapter looks into child protection in Portugal. The state has been called upon to address the field of childhood through policies and education guided by the principles of equality, opportunity, citizenship, responsibility, participation, multicultural and local intervention. The Portuguese child protection and welfare system fits the Southern European model, which is characterized by mixed social protection, cash transfers, and universal health services, and is based on the role of the social partners in income guarantee policies. The Children and Youth Protection Commission applies measures of keeping the kids in their natural living environment or enforcing placement measures if their conditions are not met