According to preliminary data from the latest annual report on the Assessment of the Activity of Child and Youth Protection Commissions (CPCJ), for 2023, it was necessary to propose the application of a promotion and protection measure for 14,284 children.

In accordance with what is defined in the law on child and youth protection and danger, when a child or young person is in danger, the CPCJ or a court must adopt promotion and protection measures, which can be in a natural environment (with parents, with another family member, in the trust of a suitable person, support for autonomy of life or in the trust of the person selected for adoption) or placement, whether in the form of family foster care, residential foster care (institution) or given to a foster family or institution with a view to adoption.

With the exception of all others, the measures of trust in the person selected for adoption, the foster family or the institution with a view to adoption are the exclusive competence of a court.

The report, which is the responsibility of the National Commission for the Promotion of the Rights and Protection of Children and Young People (CNPDPCJ), states that children in danger and in need of a promotion measure are "mostly boys" (53.74%), "predominantly between the ages of 11 and 14 (26.20%)."

It was possible to detect 5,514 cases of neglect, another 4,338 due to domestic violence, 3,059 situations of dangerous behavior in childhood and adolescence or 2,437 diagnoses in which the right to education was at stake.

There were also 471 cases of physical abuse, 343 of psychological abuse, 136 of abandonment, 180 of sexual abuse and eight cases of child exploitation.

Specifically in relation to promotion and protection measures, and in comparison with 2022, there was an increase in the measures applied in a natural environment, which represent 87% of the total precautionary measures.

"In relation to non-precautionary measures, that is, applied after the conclusion of the diagnostic assessment, 31,147 promotion and protection measures were applied (1,740 more than those registered in the previous year), in 30,336 processes relating to 28,799 children/young people", the report states.

According to the CNPDPCJ, there was an increase in the application of three types of measures -- support with parents, support with another family member and family foster care, while there was a decrease in the measures of trust in a suitable person, support for autonomy of life and residential foster care.

"The measure 'family foster care' was the one that registered the most significant increase, of 96.3%, although, overall, it is a measure that is still residually applied (0.4%)", the report states.

It adds that there is "a clear prevalence of the measure 'support with parents' (83.39%)."

It emphasizes that "there is a clear prevalence of measures implemented in a natural environment" which have a weight of 92.68%, compared to measures in a placement regime, which represent 7.32%.

Regarding the children accompanied, the annual report shows that 2,665 had foreign nationality, particularly from Brazil, and that 947 had some type of disability or incapacity, mainly at a mental or intellectual level (28.72%).

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