The reform of children’s foster care: content, extent and goals of the legal system

Abstract

How can foster care in Portugal be defined and characterized today? How relevant is it in the child protection system? What main obstacles does it have to overcome and what challenges is it facing? The purpose of this article is to reflect upon foster care, on the basis of its new legal framework (Decreto-Lei n.º 11/2008, 17 January), analyzing the different types of fostering it foresees, as well as the mechanisms of foster career selection, training, and support. In its conclusion, the paper presents a number of ideas on the future of foster care in Portugal.