Greece has taken a landmark step in child protection policy with the adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention of Violence and the Response to Juvenile Delinquency 2025–2030, presented at the Maximos Mansion in the presence of the Prime Minister under the motto “Δίπλα στα Παιδιά, Απέναντι στη Βία” – “Standing by Children, Against Violence.”

For the first time, Greece brings together, in a single strategic framework, the prevention of violence against children and the response to juvenile offending – two phenomena that are deeply interconnected, as children involved in harmful behaviour are very often children who have themselves experienced violence, neglect, or exclusion. Greece is, in fact, the first EU country to combine both dimensions in one integrated national strategy.

A Strategy Designed by Scientists, Not by Headlines

The Strategy is the outcome of the work of a Committee of Experts appointed by the Prime Minister in March 2024, chaired by Professor Vasiliki Artinopoulou, Professor of Criminology at Panteion University – and a keynote voice at the Connect to Protect – Children & Youth at Risk Conference. The Committee brought together leading academics from criminology, political science, pedagogy, social work, sociology of communication, cybersecurity, and child psychiatry, including Professor Agapi Kandylaki (Democritus University of Thrace), who will also join the discussions in Athens this October.

This interdisciplinary composition reflects a core principle of the Strategy: violence against children and juvenile delinquency are multidimensional, multifactorial social phenomena that cannot be understood – or prevented – through any single lens.

What the Data Actually Show

The Strategy is grounded in a careful reading of the evidence, resisting both complacency and moral panic.

According to Eurostat data, Greece remains below the EU average in recorded juvenile delinquency – at around half the EU average in the number of minor suspects per 100,000 inhabitants. School bullying research even suggests a reduction in the extent and frequency of the phenomenon between 2010 and 2022.

At the same time, Hellenic Police data point to a genuine qualitative shift in recent years, particularly in 2023–2024:

• a marked increase in serious incidents of physical violence;
• organised characteristics, with minors forming groups or gangs;
• a lowering of the age at which young people become involved;
• more frequent involvement of girls;
• repeat involvement of the same young people in violent incidents;
• high visibility of incidents through social media and public spaces.

The Strategy also acknowledges that part of the recorded increase reflects better reporting: new tools such as the 10201 helpline, the SafeYouth application, and the STOPBullying platform have made it easier for children and adults to report incidents that previously remained invisible.

This nuanced picture echoes a message consistently emphasised by child protection professionals: the challenge is not a “lost generation,” but a changing phenomenon that demands prevention, early intervention, and coordinated systems – not panic.

29 Policies, 69 Measures, Six Pillars

The Strategy proposes 29 new policies – including 7 flagship and 5 horizontal policies – and 69 concrete measures, in addition to 23 improvements to existing policies. The Action Plan 2025–2030 is organised around six pillars: school violence and bullying; domestic violence; online violence; community violence (including racist, extremist, and sports-related violence); offenders and victims within a child-friendly justice system; and horizontal policies.

The seven flagship policies illustrate the Strategy’s prevention-first philosophy:

1. Educating non-violent citizens – compulsory education in peaceful conflict resolution, mediation, and non-violent communication in schools, together with a pedagogical rethinking of school suspension and “social work” within the school for pupils who bully.
2. Establishing a Technical Gymnasium – creating meaningful educational pathways for young people at risk of disengagement.
3. Strengthening positive parenting – structured education, prevention, and support programmes for parents and prospective parents, integrated into health services and adapted to different cultural and socioeconomic contexts.
4. Digital adulthood at 15 – institutionalising age verification and control mechanisms for online users, supported by the “Kids Wallet” application.
5. Preventing extremist and racist violence and hate speech – including community debates with children and adolescents, regional children’s councils, local delinquency prevention networks, and a media guide for responsible coverage of violence.
6. Holistic support and prevention of secondary victimisation – the institutional strengthening and geographical expansion of the “Children’s Houses” (Σπίτια του Παιδιού) for all child victims.
7. A hub of specialised services for juvenile offenders – an interoperable child-friendly justice unit, with action protocols at every stage and individual risk-and-protection assessment tools.

Implementation will be coordinated by the Presidency of the Government across ten ministries, with 38 monitoring indicators to measure both the phenomenon and the performance of the policies themselves – embedding evidence-based policy design and evaluation into the heart of the effort.

From Punishment to Protection: A Paradigm Shift

Perhaps the most significant feature of the Strategy is its explicit rights-based orientation. Anchored in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Articles 19, 34, 37, and 40) and aligned with the European Commission’s and Council of Europe’s strategies on children’s rights, it approaches the child who offends not only as a justice issue but as a child protection issue.

The Strategy traces the historical journey “from retribution and punishment to reintegration and restoration,” emphasising restorative approaches, child-friendly justice, resilience-building, and the empowerment of families, schools, and communities. It also institutionalises the participation of children themselves in policy design, in line with Article 12 of the Convention.

Why This Matters for Connect to Protect

The National Strategy embodies the very principles at the core of the 1st International Conference “Connect to Protect – Children & Youth at Risk”, taking place on 5–6 October 2026 in Athens: that protecting children requires connection – across ministries, disciplines, services, and communities; that prevention must come before the offence; and that effective child protection systems are built on evidence, rights, and collaboration rather than reaction alone.

With Professor Vasiliki Artinopoulou, chair of the Strategy’s Expert Committee, among the conference’s contributors, participants in Athens will have a unique opportunity to discuss the Strategy’s vision, its implementation challenges, and its potential as a model for other countries – directly with the people shaping it.

Greece’s message is clear: standing by children means standing against violence – early, together, and everywhere children live, learn, and grow.

Source: Hellenic Government, “«Δίπλα στα παιδιά, απέναντι στη βία» | Η εθνική στρατηγική για την πρόληψη της βίας και την αντιμετώπιση της παραβατικότητας ανηλίκων 2025–2030” – https://www.government.gov.gr/dipla-sta-pedia-apenanti-sti-via-ethniki-stratigiki-gia-tin-prolipsi-tis-vias-ke-tin-antimetopisi-tis-paravatikotitas-anilikon-2025-2030/