More than 90% of the children in care remain in institutions

In 2025, over 90% of children and youth in Portugal remained in institutional care, despite a rise in foster care, which only included one in thirteen. The CASA report indicated that only 459 out of 6,120 children were in foster homes, while the majority were in residential care. Although there was a 27.1% increase in foster care placements compared to 2024, it still represented just 7.5% of total placements. For children under five, 69.5% were in general foster homes, with only 26.4% in foster families. The overall number of children in care decreased by 3.6%, while certified foster families increased by 31%. The report emphasizes the need for stable family environments for children temporarily separated from their families.