SOS Children’s Villages: 491,000 children at risk of poverty or social exclusion – The power of prevention

On the occasion of the November 20th, they held a press conference, where they once again highlighted the right of every child to grow up in a safe and supportive family environment. Family support is a basis for preventing phenomena such as violence, abuse, neglect, and child abuse, the SOS Children’s Villages announcement of the World Day for Children’s Rights says. In Greece, it is estimated that 491,000 children are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, which makes it necessary to strengthen family structures and protect children’s rights. At the same time, according to the experience of SOS Children’s Villages by the Child and Family Support Centers operating throughout Greece, incidents requiring further investigation by the competent authorities for suspicion of neglect or abuse, in 2023, tripled compared to the average of the previous five years. With this data, the size of the challenges facing families is enormous and needs are constantly increasing. Typical is the fact that in prevention programs, SOS Children’s Villages have supported more than 75,000 children, while they receive hundreds of requests annually for support from families with children in need. The importance of prevention and immediate priorities SOS Children’s Villages underline the urgent need for holistic-style services to support the family in the community, in order to protect children from violence, poverty and social inequalities. “From 2018 to 2024, we have restored, through the reunion with the biological family, the assumption and adoption, 454 children, while through the prevention programmes we help in the timely and meaningful treatment of the risks that threaten the coherence of the family and the safety of children,” said George Protopapas, Director General of SOS Children’s Villages, and stressed that “Every child has a right and must be raised in a family with love, respect and security.” The proposals of SOS Children’s Villages for child protection and family support: Establish a single and coherent National Child Protection Strategy with guaranteed resources for its implementation and sustainability and prioritise the prevention of abuse, early intervention and identification of incidents, and support for families at risk. Presuppose and ensure funding for child protection from the regular state budget. Promotion and strengthening of underwriting as well as the extension of professional assumption as a preferred form of childcare instead of institutions. Strengthen the training of professionals and the cooperation of all stakeholders – services (legal, medical, police services) to effectively manage incidents of violence and neglect of children. Implementation of a single, national system of reference, abuse and neglect of children, as provided for in the National Action Plan to protect children from sexual abuse (2022). SOS Children’s Villages continue to defend children’s rights and interests, providing “family-style” care and implementing prevention and de-establishment programs throughout Greece. On the occasion of the World Day for the Rights of the Child, SOS Children’s Villages implement coordinated information and awareness events, to be held by all programs of the Organization in Greece. The aim of the actions is to inform, raise awareness and educate the general public, as well as groups of people with special interest in matters relating to the protection of children’s rights.