“Be the family they’re looking for”: Santa Casa launches a new foster care campaign
More than 1,000 children are still waiting for a foster family in the Lisbon district.
“Be the family they’re looking for” is the slogan of yet another foster care campaign by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. Dedicated to the more than 1,000 children awaiting a foster family in the Lisbon district, this fourth campaign thus reinforces its commitment to increasing the number of families available to foster children and young people in this region, contributing to the national movement towards deinstitutionalisation, in line with national and international guidelines.
With over 250 placements already made and a pool of 120 certified families, Santa Casa nevertheless continues to face the need to respond to requests for foster care, which still outnumber the available families. Despite the impact of previous campaigns, public mobilisation is needed to capitalise on this effort to reach even more children, by dispelling myths, raising awareness about foster care and bringing this support closer to the community.
It should be remembered that foster care is a temporary, protective measure centred on the child’s wellbeing, guaranteeing a fundamental right: the right to grow up in a family, with personalised affection, stable relationships and secure routines. In this regard, Portugal has committed, within its legal and strategic framework, to prioritising family-based solutions and reducing the length of time children spend in care homes.
Find out more about foster care and apply to become a foster family.
