#Vantage Foundation #Portugal #Lisbon #SOS Children's Villages #Child Neglect

Addressing Child Neglect: A Joint Initiative

In a recent visit to SOS Children's Villages Portugal in Lisbon, representatives from the Vantage Foundation engaged with key personnel to discuss the pressing issue of child neglect and the organization's vital mission over the past 60 years in protecting children from the emotional harm caused by neglect, abandonment, or abuse.

Child neglect remains one of the most common yet overlooked threats to child welfare. Unlike abandonment, which is often recognized, neglect often goes unnoticed, trapping children in cycles of chronic emotional harm and relational difficulties. In Portugal, a child grows up without the necessary support to flourish every 10 minutes, frequently facing neglect patterns that can persist through generations.

SOS Children's Villages Portugal actively works to break this cycle through preventative measures, protection, and advocacy, ensuring that no child goes unnoticed. Neglect isn't merely an absence of care—it represents a profound erosion of trust with dire consequences for mental health and development. Children facing neglect often grapple with emotional disturbances, attachment issues, and challenges in forming healthy relationships. Without external intervention, the cycle of neglect continues, ensnaring families into struggles that span generations.

The organization combats neglect by empowering families through education, mental health support, and emergency assistance. By addressing systemic issues early on, they help prevent family breakdowns and reduce the need for out-of-home care. When separation from a family becomes unavoidable, the organization provides high-quality care in nurturing environments, which includes placing siblings together, tailoring care to individual needs, and equipping caregivers with specialized training in trauma-informed approaches.

Furthermore, SOS Children's Villages advocates for enhanced legal protections for youth aging out of foster care, offering them tools to build independent lives. The Vantage Foundation recognizes that addressing neglect requires collaborative efforts. By partnering with organizations like SOS Children's Villages, businesses, policymakers, and communities can amplify the voices of vulnerable children and help dismantle the cycle of parental neglect.

As Emerson Marques, Head of Brand and Communications at SOS Children's Villages Portugal, emphasizes, "Child neglect is a deep, invisible, and destructive issue. The less visible the problem, the more dangerous it becomes. Spreading awareness is essential to breaking the cycle. We need more individuals to care, engage, and join this cause. Only then can we ensure that no child grows up without love, respect, and safety."

Steven, the Executive Director of the Vantage Foundation, expressed admiration for the work of SOS Children's Villages, stating, "Their commitment underscores what can happen when we prioritize children's futures and highlight the importance of collective action. Neglect is a silent crisis, but together we can bring it out of the shadows and enact real change."

By combating neglect, we can create a world where every child grows up surrounded by love, respect, and safety. This initiative is part of the Vantage Foundation's ongoing commitment to empowering socially vulnerable communities. For more information on SOS Children's Villages Portugal, visit SOS Children's Villages.

About Vantage Foundation

The Vantage Foundation is an independent charitable organization established at the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK in 2023. The foundation partners with organizations worldwide, including Grab Indonesia, iREDE Foundation in Nigeria, Teach For Malaysia, and Instituto Claret in Brazil, supporting vital social initiatives. For more details, please visit Vantage Foundation.