A fifth of institutionalized children has a deficiency – Digital Journal

One in five institutionalized children has some form of signed disability, a number that may be undervalued, without an appropriate response to these minors or their families, according to a

study commissioned by European Parliament.

The study, Disability Centre’s responsibility and Human Rights (ODDH) was requested by the European Parliament to Portugal and the other member states to meet and evaluate each country’s policies for children with disabilities.

Speaking to the Lusa agency, the coordinator of the study pointed out that the work revealed a certain “concern” related to the care of children and youth at risk, and there is “a very high percentage” it has shortcomings already identified.

“About one-fifth, or 20% of all children who were institutionalized in 2013 had some form of signed disabilities and experts report that this number may be undervalued, so we know it will be more, “said Paula Campos Pinto.

According to the official, the number of children and young people with any disability and who are institutionalized may be even higher because” some psychosocial difficulties are difficult to diagnose and remain unknown. “

” The Portuguese legislation points to the need to periodically review the situations and host plans of these children, who are in temporary shelters, but we know that in practice this does not is happening, “noted the researcher.

For Paula Pinto, is” worrying “that” remain many children in Portugal institutionalized for lack of means and measures that promote their inclusion in society. “

“If there is already a very high rate of institutionalization of stay in our country, when compared to other countries, this percentage is even higher when we look at the group of children with disabilities, so there’s an excess representation of this group in children who are institutionalized, “he said.

On the other hand, the researcher pointed out that these children and young people and their families are not receiving the most appropriate response, taking into account which are cases where minors were taken to the respective family because they were at risk in the wild.

“Instead of institutionalizing these children, should support families so they could stay in their family environment, which is the most suitable for the child to grow, “he argued.

He criticized that, instead, it chooses to remove children from their families, placing them in institutions where they are the more time there remain.

“This tells us that there is really a lack of support for families so they can receive their children and give them the family and emotional environment that they need,” he said.

The study also showed that the Portuguese legislation does not adequately protect children with disabilities against gender discrimination and the rights and the vulnerability of girls with disabilities are not adequately covered.

Digital Diary with Lusa