Proinfância program supports children facing poverty in Leiria

The Municipality of Leiria provided educational and therapeutic support to 69 children from 33 families in Leiria, Portugal, during the 2025/2026 school year.

The initiative, known as the Proinfância Program, aims to combat social exclusion and childhood poverty by providing tailored responses to the specific needs of struggling families. The local government works with several partners to deliver these services, including the Fundação “la Caixa”, Cáritas Diocesana Leiria-Fátima, InPulsar.

Associação para o Desenvolvimento Comunitário, and the Centro Social e Paroquial Paulo VI. The Fundação “la Caixa” provides the funding and the intervention model, while Cáritas Diocesana Leiria-Fátima manages the application process. Specific educational reinforcements reached 22 children during this period. These services included psychological monitoring, occasional psychological support, psychomotricity, and speech therapy. The program serves a diverse group of children from various nationalities, including Portuguese, Angolan, Brazilian, Italian, Cape Verdean, Ukrainian, and Venezuelan backgrounds.

The Municipality of Leiria coordinates the cooperation between public services and social entities to identify needs and mobilize resources. This network of support seeks to ensure that economic and social difficulties do not limit the future opportunities of children.