Child protection in Greece: Addressing the national framework, discrepancies and good practices

Αbstract This study examines the challenges child protection efforts face in Greece within the broader context of European child welfare systems in the 21st century. Despite legislative mandates, Greece struggles with the effective implementation of child protection legislation and out-of-home placement of abused and neglected children. Drawing on the experience of the NGO “The Smile of The Child,” this study employs an empirical approach to examine Greece's national legislative framework, tools and implementation issues in children's rights and welfare, child protection systems and child and youth care systems. In Greece, the implementation of child protection legislation faces significant hurdles. Despite legislative mandates, the lack of services, trained personnel, gaps in national legal frameworks on trauma-informed practices and protocols during removal, and lack of support for adults who grew up in out-of-home care hinder effective protection measures. Findings reveal systemic barriers implementing child protection legislation, lack of established protocols, preventive practices and adequate education on the methods and legal basis of removal and foster care leading to systemic re-traumatisation of children. This study will attempt to create a timeline of child protection in Greece, starting from prevention to out-of-home care, reviews the legislative framework using data driven from the Center of Abuse and Exploitation of the Organization ‘The Smile of the Child’ including services such as helplines, school interventions, homecare social services, remedial services as well as annual reports. Ρrevention, removal, trauma management, deinstitutionalisation, fostering and adoption and a focus on improvements and good practices will be of extensive concern.