Practical guide: Having a child

The arrival of a child marks the beginning of a new phase in the parents’ lives.

This practical guide gathers together information on the rights and duties that come with motherhood and fatherhood, from pregnancy to the end of children’s paediatric age, as well as information on important documents for the child, such as the Citizen Card and birth certificate.

Health, parental leave, leaves and absences for working parents and adoption in Portugal are some of the topics addressed.

You will find the following information in this guide:

• Accompaniment during pregnancy
• Registration of births, Citizen Cards and passports
• Children’s and young people’s health
• Parental leave in Portugal
• Leaves and absences from work for parents
• Children’s and young people’s education
• Financial support and tax deductions
• Adoption of children and young people in Portugal
• Separation and divorce – effects on children
• Gender equality and domestic violence in Portugal

For information on breastfeeding, caring for a baby (bathing, carrying and transporting them, the dangers of choking and any warning signs) or the role of parents, see the ‘Guide for parents’ on the SNS 24 portal.