Moving abroad with children can be a marvellous way of broadening their horizons and giving them experience of other cultures. Many parents dream of raising bilingual children, with the confidence and ability to follow their dreams in a choice of countries. This can be a reality, but it is important to plan and prepare properly for something that, if done incorrectly, can be unfair and unsettling.

Having a detailed plan for moving to Portugal is always important, but even more so where children are concerned. “Winging it” to a certain degree may appeal to single people or young couples, but responsible parents are unlikely to want to introduce unnecessary risks to their children’s lives.

For this reason, it is essential for parents to fully research their move. While some people have enough independent wealth to move without worrying about employment, most will have to work to put food on the table, and jobs can be extremely hard to come by in Portugal, especially for those who cannot speak fluent Portuguese.

For families below retirement age, state healthcare isn’t necessarily an immediate right either, especially for those not contributing to the Portuguese social security system through their employment. Families without the means for private cover will therefore need to clarify their exact position via the social security authorities in both countries.

Assuming all of these loose ends have been successfully tied, it is then time to think about schooling, and start to get the children ready for the move. In terms of schools, the main choice is whether to put children through the state system or consider one of the private, international schools. The age of the children concerned is likely to have an impact on this decision – while very young children may learn Portuguese quickly and instinctively in a local school, older children can find the combination of language barrier and new curriculum intimidating and stressful.  Networking with other ex-pat parents can be hugely valuable when taking this decision, which can have a huge impact on your children’s happiness.

Private language classes can be very useful to your children prior to the move, as can learning resources such as on-line courses, some of which may even make learning sufficiently game-like that the kids will enjoy them! It is wise to spend time highlighting some of the attractions of Portugal to the children. Beaches, surfing classes and cycle rides are just some examples of the things that may take their minds off the sadness of leaving their friends behind.

If you have tiny paws pattering around the house as well as tiny feet, then you need to get the pets ready too! Thankfully, the EU pet passport scheme allows vets to issue passports along with the necessary microchips and inoculations, which then allow you to travel freely between the UK and Portugal. Many pet owners choose to use the ferry routes between the UK’s south coast and Santander to make the move, as these boats permit the transport of cats and dogs.

No move abroad is stress-free, but many children move abroad and live happy lives, never wishing to return to their original country. By making the right preparations, your children can join this group of contended young expats!

Start your hunt for a home in Portugal here…
If you’re searching for a Portuguese property, a good place to start is the Portugal Buying Guide’s new property search facility. To start your search now visit http://www.portugalbuyingguide.com/content/portugal-properties