The Ministry of Education is investigating reports that nearly 80 schools were visited by digital influencers linked to adult content during student association campaigns over the last two years. The investigation follows media reports revealing weaknesses in school management bodies that allowed these individuals to participate in student activities. Parents should be aware that the government has announced new guidelines to prohibit any school activities that contradict educational values.
Over 2,400 organisations are warning of severe child protection risks following the expiration of the European legal framework for monitoring online child sexual abuse.
The PSD will submit a bill proposing age verification at social media account creation to enforce a ban on under-13s and restrict access for under-16s. The measure, described as sensible and largely inevitable in an editorial, aims to protect children and reduce pressures such as the pursuit of likes, though it raises practical enforcement and privacy concerns about verification methods.
In 2025, only 459 of the 6,120 children in care lived with families. Even among those under 5, nearly three out of every four were outside of foster care placements.
Neglect was the danger situation that led to foster care in 66.9% of cases. This was followed by situations of abandonment or being left to fend for themselves, which make up 6.2% of cases.
Home News Portugal city establishes child protection unit Portugal city establishes child protection unit The new local unit will coordinate support for children and young people facing poverty and social exclusion.
The 62 teachers preventively suspended due to invalid criminal records had prior convictions for crimes incompatible with working with children, including sexual abuse, child pornography, and domestic violence, the Ministry of Education revealed on Thursday, October 1st. The Ministry stated that in some cases, there may already be accessory penalties, security measures, or judicial bans preventing them from exercising these duties. The cases were identified following the introduction of a new automatic criminal record verification mechanism, which replaces the previous manual process. Minister Fernando Alexandre has ordered an urgent analysis of all situations by the Inspectorate-General of Education and Science to determine applicable consequences, including potential dismissal.
Mothers reported constant shouting, punishments, and physical aggression against an autistic student. The school administration opened an investigation and claims there is no evidence, but the pedagogical coordination team was aware of the reports.
A gathering in Porto brings together protesters wearing red capes and white masks with a red cross over the mouth, holding signs that read 'abuse is not a parental right'.
“We do not have to accept childhoods shaped by algorithms. We do not have to accept a system that fails our children,” she argued in a social media post. “Europe has the power to act.”
The President of the European Commission has been advocating for European intervention to limit children's exposure to social media and ensure greater protection for minors in the digital environment.
We forced manufacturers of toys and electrical equipment to incorporate safety into the product itself. In the digital ecosystem, the principle should be exactly the same.
A three-year-old boy was found alone early this Wednesday (August 19) on the stairs of a building in Braga, where he had been left in the care of his 15-year-old sister since the weekend, according to a police source. The sister returned some time later, claiming she had gone to buy food, as their mother had left the home over the weekend and has not yet been located by authorities. Both children were taken to Braga Hospital as a precaution and are doing well, with efforts now underway to determine their immediate care. The children's father had been involved in domestic violence cases and was recently found dead in Braga Prison. The Braga Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People stated that the case is being handled by a Multidisciplinary Technical Support Team (EMAT) attached to the local court, a specialized Social Security unit that assists courts in child protection and civil guardianship proceedings.
Maria João Leote de Carvalho, a researcher at CICS.Nova, states that “immediate removal to a shelter may be necessary when violence persists.” The numbers and severity of violence are rising.
A 15-year-old boy killed his mother using a chokehold. Initially perceived as a monstrous act, the story reveals a cycle of abuse: the boy and his 4-year-old sister were victims of physical and psychological mistreatment, which the boy had previously reported. The mother, in turn, was a victim of severe domestic violence by her husband, who is currently awaiting trial. This case highlights a collective failure by state authorities—including police and child protection services—to intervene despite clear warning signs. The tragedy underscores the inadequacy of bureaucratic processes in high-risk domestic violence cases, where urgent action is required but often delayed, leading to fatal consequences.
The child reported that the mother assaulted and threatened to kill his four-year-old sister. Dismissing the evidence and considering the youth manipulative, the court refused institutionalisation and the return of the children to Brazil under the guardianship of the paternal family, as reported by CM.
The family of the youth who killed his mother in Algés had been monitored by the Oeiras Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People (CPCJ) since 2024 due to their 'fragile situation', with judicial oversight beginning in 2025 following a failure to comply with measures.
The Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People was monitoring the case and issued alerts a year ago. The Cascais juvenile court had applied a protection order since mid-2025. A 15-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister were victims of abuse by their mother, who has now been killed by her son.
The children, who were previously abandoned in Alcácer do Sal, have been taken from their grandmother's care in France, while their mother and stepfather continue to be held in custody in Portugal.
The origin of the injuries remains unclear. Authorities have not found evidence of a crime, but the court has already initiated proceedings to protect the siblings. The child is expected to be discharged in the coming days.
The problem of domestic violence, when it involves children, requires serious reflection on the limitations of the protection system and on what we are willing to accept as the cost of decision-making. Opinion by Hélio Bento Ferreira
Safeguarding is the set of policies, practices, and cultures that ensure all children, young people, and vulnerable adults are protected from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It is not just a set of rules, but a way of organizing institutions to be safe, competent, and responsible places. This commitment is not exclusive to the Catholic Church; it must be adopted by all organizations working with children and youth, including schools, sports clubs, non-profits, youth movements, cultural associations, and public and private entities. Protection is a collective duty. For safeguarding to be real and effective, it must be based on three structural principles: transparency, accountability, and compliance. Transparency involves clear processes and open communication. Accountability requires creating structures to explain decisions, document procedures, and respond to victims. Compliance serves as the starting point through codes of conduct and mandatory training, but the institutional culture is what truly protects. It is urgent to abandon informal models based on goodwill and instead implement structured systems, continuous training, and active supervision to address both traditional and emerging risks, such as digital abuse.
