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A new regulation sets out how residential care homes in the Region must operate, from admission and support to facilities and young people’s participation. The rules take effect the day after publication.
The Autonomous Region of Madeira has approved a regulation establishing the terms and procedures for providing residential care to children and young people at risk. The legislation, approved by Normative Order No. 4/2026 of 25 September, applies to the home managed directly by the Madeira Social Security Institute, IP-RAM (ISSM, IP-RAM), and to private social solidarity institutions or equivalent entities that have cooperation agreements or protocols with the Institute.
Residential care is intended for children and young people covered by residential care measures or by a measure entrusting them to an institution with a view to adoption. As a rule, homes accommodate people under the age of 18; support may continue until the age of 21 if it began before they reached adulthood and, while educational or vocational training programmes are ongoing, until the age of 25. Whenever possible, siblings and children or young people who share a household should stay in the same home, unless a court rules otherwise.
Homes may include residential units and specialist units for emergencies or to support young people’s independence. All must provide at least two emergency places. Residential units should preferably accommodate no more than 15 children or young people; independence support units and semi-independent living apartments may accommodate up to seven young people aged 15 or over.
The regulation also allows for the creation of dedicated units for situations requiring therapeutic intervention, including profound disability, serious chronic illness, psychiatric disorders or addictive behaviours. The organisation and technical coordination of these units must be set out in a joint order by the government departments responsible for social security, health and, where applicable, education.
Each child or young person must have a promotion and protection project and an individual intervention plan, setting out objectives, strategies, the organisations involved, a timetable and assessment mechanisms. The plan may cover educational and vocational support, sports and cultural activities, integration into the community, pocket money, outings, and the use of mobile phones and other technological devices.
Homes must have technical, educational and support teams. For residential units, the regulation sets staffing benchmarks of three professionals on the technical team, ten on the educational team and four on the support team; these numbers may be adjusted. The technical team must include at least one psychologist or social worker. Psychological and psychotherapeutic support must be provided through existing community services and provision; this is not the responsibility of the home’s technical team.
Parents, legal representatives, people with de facto custody and other significant people have the right to visit the child or young person, unless a court rules otherwise. Visits must take place in private and under conditions suited to the individual circumstances. The regulation also requires individual case files, personal data protection, personal accident insurance, and rules for the safekeeping and handover of savings and personal belongings.
The Regional Advisory Council for Children and Young People in Care is being established as a consultative body to promote the participation of those in care and help improve services. It includes one child or young person representing each home in the Region and a technical representative of ISSM, IP-RAM. The Council may issue non-binding recommendations and submit proposals.
ISSM, IP-RAM will monitor and inspect the operation of the homes, assess services at least every two years and prepare an annual consolidated report on the implementation of the measure. The regulation also provides for a monthly grant from the Institute for young people in care who are making satisfactory progress in higher education. It is intended to cover course-related expenses such as tuition fees, essential equipment, transport and, where necessary, accommodation. The provision also applies, with adaptations, to technical-vocational and vocational training courses; where other grants are available, regional support covers only expenses not funded by those grants.
The legislation does not set new financial contribution amounts for the homes: funding continues to be determined by cooperation agreements and their respective addenda. Normative Order No. 4/2026 takes effect the day after publication.
The Regional Directorate for Sport has signed ten programme agreements for the 2025/2026 season, providing funding for travel to competitions and projects promoting sport for all. The maximum amounts range from 398 euros to 300,000 euros.
Financial contributions from the Madeira Social Security Institute to social and solidarity sector organisations covered by the measure are increased by 3.80%. The increase takes effect from 1 January 2026 and represents a total expenditure of €635,249.48.
Joana Sofia de Ornelas Rodrigues will head the Department of Contributors at the Madeira Social Security Institute for a three-year term. Her appointment takes effect on 1 October 2026.