Child protection in Greece is at a critical crossroads. Change is needed on an institutional and a social level, so that the protection of the most vulnerable children – those outside parental care – becomes a priority for institutions, policymakers, and society at large. SOS Children’s Villages is an international leader in the field of childcare, with experience in innovative Foster Care and De-Institutionalization programs. As such, SOS Children’s Villages promote systemic change, engage in field collaborations and place emphasis in raising social awareness, with the aim to bring on tangible and sustainable improvements in the Greek childcare system.

The program “Systemic Change in Childcare” focuses on advocacy to establish an institutional framework that defines the operation of child protection systems based on the guidelines of the European legislation to ensure the protection of the rights of the child; as well as pn the promotion of family-based care protection models, with emphasis on foster care, through the supervision of the implementation of the legal framework and the promotion of relevant structural interventions.

The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a € 12m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021. The program aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector in Greece, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow.