Latest news and stories about child protection in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
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.
Sofia Neves analyzes the controversy surrounding digital influencers visiting schools, highlighting systemic failures in school management and the urgent need for impartial investigation into child safety.
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.
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.
Manuel Coutinho. President of the Institute for Child Support
UNICEF reports that Portugal is falling short in its efforts to protect children and youth from violence.
PAN urgently suggests the creation of a national campaign to prevent violence against children, which would allow for the identification of signs of domestic violence and provide information on how to report it and access support.
The party considers the figures “particularly worrying” and evidence of the “need to strengthen the early detection of risk situations.”
Discussion on the responsibility of the Portuguese State to protect children in vulnerable situations.
Document reveals that cases investigated in 2025 are related to the exploitation of minors for begging. Four of the six occurrences were detected in Montijo.
The Communists believe that Portugal 'has good legislation for the protection of children's rights', but lacks the 'resources for its proper implementation'. The solution involves improving the 'functioning of the CPCJ'.
The United Nations declared this Friday, May 29, that protecting children from social media, digital platforms, and the internet in general is an “urgent priority,” warning of flaws in age restrictions adopted in various countries. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated that online abuse results from design choices and business practices that compromise safety, such as addictive features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and constant app notifications. Türk called for stricter measures from both governments and companies, arguing that simply limiting access to dangerous platforms is insufficient. He emphasized that tech giants must integrate safety by design rather than shifting responsibility to parents and children, and suggested that micro-targeting minors for commercial purposes should be prohibited.
An analysis of the systemic failures in child protection services within Portugal.
French authorities must arrange the return of two children, aged 4 and 5, who were found abandoned on a road in Alcácer do Sal. The mother and stepfather were arrested in Fátima and face charges of domestic violence and child abandonment. The children are currently in foster care, and Portuguese judicial authorities are coordinating with the French Embassy to facilitate their repatriation, as French courts hold jurisdiction over their permanent protection and parental responsibilities.
For the first time, the National Commission for the Rights of Children and Young People recorded cases of early or forced marriage. There were 54 last year.
President of the Liberal Initiative, Mariana Leitão, says she has been following this issue 'with great concern'.
Among the most frequent types of danger, neglect and domestic violence continue to stand out, followed by dangerous behaviours and situations related to the right to education.
The National Commission for the Rights of Children and Young People (CNDCJ) recorded 54 cases of forced marriage for the first time last year, with domestic violence remaining the primary reason for applying protective measures.
The National Commission for the Rights of Children and Youth (CNDCJ) recorded 54 cases of forced marriage last year, marking the first time this category has appeared in the statistics, while domestic violence remains the primary reason for protective measures. The 2025 Activity Report from the Commissions for the Protection of Children and Youth (CPCJ) highlights a 29% structural growth in cases over the last four years, with 94,743 total processes recorded in 2025. Neglect and domestic violence remain the most frequent dangers, with the latter accounting for 6,420 protective measures. The report also notes structural challenges, including staff shortages, with only 27% of commissions having a full complement of members.
The CPCJ received 62,204 reports of dangerous situations, with security forces and the education sector being the primary reporting entities.
This is what the Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk indicated to Observador. Furthermore, the elections for the Constitutional Court are scheduled for June 12.
Bragi Guðbrandsson explained that his “helplessness” regarding a sexual abuse case involving a 10-year-old girl led him to revolutionise the judicial and health response for child victims of violence.
Reports from the Superior Council of the Public Prosecution Service obtained by CNN Portugal state that in units such as Sintra or Seixal, there are hundreds of unprocessed emails and cases that have been stalled long enough for the minor to reach the age of majority. “The protection of children's rights has not been achieved,” the document warns.
Online pornography also saw a significant increase between 2022 and 2025. These are figures from APAV (Victim Support Association), which supported approximately 13,000 children and young people during this period, equivalent to 9 minors per day.
More than 13,000 children and young people have been supported by the Portuguese Association for Victim Support over the last four years, amid a context of worsening violence in which sexual abuse has more than doubled during this period.
Between 2022 and 2025, APAV supported 2,875 children due to issues of sexual violence. Sexual crimes account for 32% of the total crimes against minors. There is a preponderance of family members among the aggressors.
“This marks a dark day for children's rights at a European level,” reacted an expert, predicting “a brutal decrease of around 80% to 90%” in reports related to sexual abuse.
With the end of the exemption to European legislation on privacy in the digital world, children and adolescents will be even more exposed to sexual abuse. Abusers will have an easier time from 11:59 PM this Friday.
The document also warns of a “significant increase in minor victims coerced into sharing self-produced content.”
