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European Child Guarantee

Under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee (Recommendation) was adopted on 14 June 2021 with the objective of preventing and combating social exclusion, ensuring access for children and young people to a set of essential services and promoting equal opportunities. In Portugal, although there has been a substantial improvement in the quality of life and well-being of children in the last years, they are still particularly vulnerable to the risk of poverty and social exclusion. On 1 October 2021, through the Council of Ministers Resolution no. 136/2021, Portugal has determined the appointment of a National Coordinator of the Child Guarantee.

National Coordination

It is crucial to break the intergenerational cycles of poverty and social exclusion that put social cohesion at risk from generation to generation.

On 1 October 2021, through the Council of Ministers Resolution no. 136/2021, Portugal has determined the appointment of a National Coordinator of the Child Guarantee whose responsibility is to ensure the development and fulfilment of the actions foreseen in the Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee, as well as the creation of a Technical Monitoring Committee represented by the government areas responsible for: Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Health, Education, Housing, Justice, Equality and Migration.

Main skills

The Council of Ministers Resolution no. 3/2023 of 17 January determines the competences of the National Coordinator of the Child Guarantee.

The National Coordinator of the Child Guarantee is the Portuguese representative among the 27 National Coordinators of the EU Member States, responsible for the coordination and follow-up of the implementation of Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee.

In order to achieve the Child Guarantee objectives in Portugal, in addition to the implementation of public policies, it is essential to strengthen social intervention based on local, integrated and community-based action, in relation to the poverty and social exclusion phenomena, with a particular focus on children and young people.

Taking into account the various intervention levels of the Child Guarantee, the aim is to assess over time the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan approved by Council of Ministers Resolution no. 3/2023 of 17 January, as well as its impact in terms of preventing and combating poverty among children and young people, as well as their households.

The dissemination of information and the participation of children and young people and their families are key priorities for an effective exercise of their Rights. In this sense, the Child Guarantee aims to contribute for the information to reach its recipients through this Portal and other initiatives.

The results will be regularly disseminated and reported to the European Commission.

Coordination and Multidisciplinary Technical Team

The Child Guarantee activity is supported by a multidisciplinary technical team, headed by the National Coordinator.

National Coordinator:

Sónia Almeida

Technical Team:

Ana de Sá Veríssimo
Carla Santos
Joana Machado
Lia Cavaleiro
Nélia Feliciano
Tatiana Jorge
Teresa Almeida Santos

Technical Monitoring Commission

The Technical Monitoring Commission is responsible for providing technical support to the National Coordinator and assist her in the implementation of actions within the scope of the respective intervention areas.

Equality and Migration Area

High Commissioner for Migration – Francisco Neves

Justice Area

Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais) – Margarida Macedo

Work, Solidarity and Social Security Area

National Commission for the Promotion of Rights and Protection of Children and Young People (Comissão Nacional de Promoção dos Direitos e Proteção das Crianças e Jovens) - Rosário Farmhouse

Education Area

Directorate-General for Education (Direção-Geral da Educação) - Eulália Alexandre

Health Area

Ministry of Health (Ministério da Saúde) - Ricardo Fuertes

Housing Area

Ministry of Housing (Ministério da Habitação) – Paula Marques

Levels of Governance

The implementation, management and operation of the Child Guarantee Action Plan requires a governance model that includes cooperation and coordination between its four levels:

Level I – Political Coordination – ensured by the Government member responsible for the solidarity and social security area.

Level II – Strategic and Technical Coordination – ensured by the National Coordinator and the respective team, assisted by the Technical Monitoring Committee (CTA – Comissão Técnica de Acompanhamento), composed of representatives from the government areas responsible for the actions’ implementation within the respective intervention areas;

Level III – Operationalisation – carried out by the bodies responsible for the measure’s implementation within the Child Guarantee Local Centres (NLGPI – Núcleos Locais da Garantia para a Infância), created within the scope of the Social Action Local Councils (CLAS – Conselhos Locais de Ação Social), as representative structures to implement the Council Recommendation at the local level;

Level IV – Advisory – composed of the Intersectoral Advisory Board (CCI – Conselho Consultivo Intersectorial), a body that issues opinions and recommendations and is aimed to ensure the mobilisation, participation and contribution of organisations representing civil society, as well as children, young people and families.