Público reports that the regime de maior acompanhado, which came into force seven years ago to protect vulnerable adults, has not fully materialised in daily practice, according to sociologist Alexandra Lopes. The law was hailed as a rights advance but implementation gaps remain in areas such as dependency management and access to support services, creating a gap between law and practice. Municipalities and social-service users should watch for local rollout details and resources; families of vulnerable adults may need to follow up with local services about available support.

Update: Seven years on, implementation gaps persist

Público's follow-up piece reiterates Alexandra Lopes's findings that local provision for dependency management and care services still lags behind the law's intentions, leaving families to chase support. Municipalities are the front line for rollout and those needing services should contact local social services to check available programmes.