The Portuguese Government wants to change foster care and adoption rules to protect children better. One of the main ideas is to allow foster families to apply for adoption. A new group will be created to study the child protection system and suggest improvements. This plan aims to make the process easier and put children needs first.
Read More About: EU Approves New Rules To Collect Air Passenger Information For Airlines
Government New Foster Family Rules
The government explained in a statement to Lusa news agency that the goal is to reduce the number of children in institutions. They want more children to live with families.
The statement said:
The objective is, always in the name of the best interests of the child, to reduce the number of cases of institutionalisation, and prioritising the measure of family care
Review Of Current Rules
Government will create a group to review the current child protection system. This group will study the laws for adoption, civil sponsorship and foster care. It will also look at how the Child and Adolescent Protection Commissions (CPCJ) work.
The group will suggest changes to make the process easier and close any gaps in the system. These changes will aim to create a better and faster system to support children and families.
Foster Care And Adoption Rules
Families who want to foster children cannot also apply to adopt them right now. Many people believe this rule stops families from wanting to foster children. The government plans to change this rule. Foster families may be able to adopt children they care for in the future.
This idea is part of several bills being discussed in parliament. Political parties like the Liberal Initiative (IL), Bloco de Esquerda (BE), People-Animals-Nature Party (PAN), Chega and Livre have all proposed changes.
The CDS-PP party suggested changing the law to allow foster families to adopt. The BE party wants to include special training for foster families and adoption candidates especially those adopting older children.
Foster care is a way to protect those children who are in danger. Children are placed with trusted people or families when they cannot live with their biological families. This is a better option than putting them in an institution.
Foster care is meant to be temporary. The main objective is to return the children to their families if possible. If not then the children are prepared for adoption or independent living. The government wants to focus on family based care instead of institutional care.
Reduce Institutional Care
Putting children in institutions has many problems. Studies show that children in institutions often have trouble forming relationships, develop more slowly and face mental health issues. Because of this the government wants more children to live with families.
The Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho launched a national campaign on November 15. This campaign aims to find more foster families. The goal is to give children safe and loving homes.
Support From Political Parties
The government’s plan has gained attention. Many political parties support the idea through bills and resolutions. The changes are not simple. They involve balancing the needs of foster families, biological families and children.
Some critics worry that letting foster families adopt will create problems. They think it might make it harder to reunite children with their biological families. Supporters believe foster families are often the best option for permanent homes.
The BE party’s call for training highlights the need for preparation. Foster and adoptive families need special skills to handle these responsibilities. Training can help families better support the children in their care.
Simplifying The Process
One of the main goals of the reform is to make the fostering and adoption process easier. These processes are long and complicated. This creates stress for both families and children. The government hopes to help more families care for children in need by making the system simpler.
The working group’s findings will guide these changes. The aim is to create a faster and clearer system.
The government’s plan is a step towards a system that puts children first. By focusing on family-based care and making the process easier, the reforms could change the lives of many children.
Success will depend on careful planning and cooperation between the government, social services, and communities. Challenges like providing enough training and balancing family needs will need to be addressed.
As the working group begins its review, there is hope that these changes will improve the system. For children in need, this could mean finding safe, stable homes faster.
The government’s campaign to find more foster families is key to this plan. The campaign hopes to inspire more people to be foster carers by raising awareness and offering support.
The new rules will make it easy to help children for those thinking about fostering or adopting. Portugal can create a system that truly puts children’s needs first with the right support and policies.
