Programme
- Home
- Programme
Conference Schedule
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
09:00
09:15
Welcome Speech
- Nikos Baltas — CEO, IASIS NGO
09:40
Greetings and Opening Remarks
Moderator: Elsa Poimenidou, Journalist
- Her Excellency Ms Alison Joy Duncan — Australian Ambassador to Greece, Romania and Bulgaria
- Recorded Video Message — Reimagining Child Protection: Innovation, Partnership and Resilience against Sale and Sexual Exploitation.
Ai Kihara-Hunt — United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children
10:10
Understanding and Responding to Trauma: Protecting Children’s Futures
- Steven Marans, MSW, PhD — Harris Professor Emeritus in the Child Study Center; Director, National Center for Children Exposed to Violence / Childhood Violent Trauma Center at the Yale Child Study Center; Director, Trauma Service; Professor of Psychiatry
Moderator: Evita Agapitou, LL.B., MBA, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), IASIS NGO
11:25
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network
From Evidence to Action: Strategies to Promote the Wellbeing of Youth Affected by Emergencies and Displacement in a Rapidly Changing World
Moderator: Claire Greene, Assistant Professor, Program on Forced Migration and Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- Presentation 1. Global evidence to local action for displaced youth.
Charlie Branas (Gelman Professor and Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA) and Evangelia Ntzani (Professor and Head, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine; Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University, RI, USA) - Presentation 2. Building a pathway forward with and for LGBTIQ+ children, adolescents and families.
Leisha Beardmore — Research Fellow, Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health Program, Stanford University; Consultant, UNFPA; Founder & Executive Director, Cadre - Presentation 3. The Protection of Unaccompanied Minors: Pathways to Safety and Stability.
Dr Apostolos Veizis — Executive Director, INTERSOS HELLAS - Presentation 4. Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of People on the Move: Focusing on Children and Youth in Displacement and Emergency Context.
Amal Ataya — Senior Roving Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer, International Organization for Migration (IOM), HQ — Athens
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by The Exodus Road
When the Threat Moves Online: How Digital Enticement is Reshaping Child Exploitation
Moderator: Preston Goff, VP of Global Communications & Co-Creator of Influenced™, The Exodus Road
- Presentation 1. Title to be announced.
Preston Goff — VP of Global Communications & Co-Creator of Influenced™, The Exodus Road - Presentation 2. Title to be announced.
Sarah Ray — VP of Global Programs & Co-Author of Influenced™, The Exodus Road - Presentation 3. Title to be announced.
Yoav Aviram — Director, Conscious Digital - Presentation 4. Integrating AI, Social Perspectives and Policy to Combat Human Trafficking — The VANGUARD Approach.
Theoni Spathi — Senior Research Associate, CERTH/ITI
Systems That Do Not Harm: Reform, Accountability and the Duty to Act
Moderator: Ippokratis Efstathiou, Social Worker, PhD — Head of Social Services, IASIS NGO
- Presentation 1. From Complicity to Redress: Revisiting the Complex Histories of Child Protection in Europe.
Vasilios Ioakimidis — Professor of Social Work, University of West Attica; Global Education Commissioner, IFSW - Presentation 2. A System Perspective on Child Welfare.
Timo Toikko — Professor of Social Work, Department of Social Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Finland - Presentation 3. From Child Protection to Early Support: Iceland’s Journey Towards Integrated Services for Children’s Prosperity.
Páll Ólafsson — Director, Department of Prosperity and Child Protection, The National Agency for Children and Families, Iceland - Presentation 4. From Networking to Collective Impact: The Role of Child Protection Network in Strengthening Child Protection Systems.
Yelena Harutyunyan — Executive Director, Child Protection Network (CPN), Armenia - Presentation 5. Technology and International Cooperation — What May We Do for the Hurt?
Prof. Dr. Trygve Ben Holland, LL.M. (EUR) — Professor of Law, Middlesex University London / KMU Academy Austria / NBS Hamburg / SRH Heidelberg and Munich / Fresenius University of Applied Sciences Cologne / University of Public Administration Bremen
Poster & Project Showcase
Facilitators: Nela Pacani (Project Manager, IASIS NGO); Yalin Gulbahar (EU Grant Expert, IASIS NGO); Nikos Kladis (Project Manager, IASIS NGO)
- Virtual Reality to Prevent Youth Exploitation in Organised Crime. Daisy Askew, Centre-UB PhD Psychology Student, University of Birmingham Poster ID: CTP2026-C-011 · E-poster presentation
- The Child’s Voice in Decision-Making: Protection and Advocacy of Unaccompanied Minors in Greece. Alexandros Giatras, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Greece Poster ID: CTP2026-C-012 · E-poster presentation
- The Life of a Top Boy: On trauma, PTSD and community violence. Dr Ronald Dodzro, Clinical Psychologist, Juvenis & Psychologists The Streets Deserve (PTSD), UK Poster ID: CTP2026-C-014 · E-poster presentation
- Embedding Children’s Rights and Participation in the Development of Ireland’s Guardian ad Litem National Service. Myra Curran, Regional Manager, Guardian ad Litem National Service (GALNS), Ireland Poster ID: CTP2026-C-004 · E-poster presentation
- Participation of Children and Parents with Intellectual Disabilities in Family Court Hearings in the Netherlands and Quebec: A Comparison Study. Prof. Dr. Maroesjka van Nieuwenhuijzen (University of Amsterdam / Expect Jeugd), Laura Pacheco (Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada), Madouc Schuit (Expect Jeugd, Amsterdam), Marjorie Aunos (Brock University / University of Alberta, Canada) Poster ID: CTP2026-C-013 · E-poster presentation
- Protecting Victims and Those Who Support Them: The Dialogic Model for Preventing Violence and Overcoming Isolating Gender Violence. Cristina Pulido, Associate Professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences; President, Association of CSA Survivors — Science and Friendship; Survivor and Upstander Poster ID: CTP2026-C-021 · E-poster presentation
- Developmental Challenges in Children and Adolescents with Adverse Childhood Experiences in Greece. Asimina M. Ralli; Sofia Fotiadi; Artemis Remoundou (presenting author), Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Greece Poster ID: CTP2026-C-022 · E-poster presentation
- From Detention to Dignity: Lessons in Child Protection and Repatriation. Natascha Rée Mikkelsen (Director and co-founder) and Knud Foldschack (Lawyer and co-founder), Repatriate the Children — Denmark Poster ID: CTP2026-C-010 · E-poster presentation
- Bridging the Gap Between Child Protection Policy and Practice in Combating Online Child Sexual Abuse. Emmanouela Kokolaki, Meltini Christodoulaki and Paraskevi Fragopoulou — Greek Safer Internet Centre (SafeLine, INHOPE member hotline); PreventCSA@EU Project; Foundation for Research and Technology — Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Computer Science, Heraklion, Crete, Greece Poster ID: CTP2026-C-017 · E-poster presentation
- From Child Protection to Child Participation: Building Accountable Child-Friendly Justice Systems in Fragile and Complex Contexts. Bobo Katambayi Tshiminyi, Consultant/Expert in Victimology & Psychotraumatology; President, Katambayi Tshiminyi Association (KTA) — Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium and France Poster ID: CTP2026-C-018 · E-poster presentation
12:00
13:15
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by Victim Support Europe
Seen, Believed, Protected: Recognition and Justice for Child Victims
Moderator: Efthymis Antonopoulos, Policy & Advocacy Manager, Victim Support Europe (VSE)
- Presentation 1. From First Contact to Safe Justice: New Threats, Emerging Trends, Effective Communication, and Good Practices in Comprehensive Victim Support Frameworks for Children and Youth.
Efthymis Antonopoulos — Policy & Advocacy Manager, Victim Support Europe (VSE) - Presentation 2. Can We Make Substantiation Decisions Better? Does It Matter?
Amy M. Smith Slep — Family Translational Research Group, New York University - Presentation 3. PROTECT: Professional Response and Observation Training in Virtual Reality for Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect.
Chryssa Grylli, MD, MSc, PhD (Child Protection Pediatrician; Leading Physician, FOKUS, University Hospital Vienna) and Laura Schaller, MSc (Clinical Psychologist, FOKUS, Vienna General Hospital / Medical University of Vienna) - Presentation 4. Multidisciplinary Collaborations in the Investigation and Case Management of Suspected Cases of Child Maltreatment by Frontline Professionals: The University Hospital of Vienna Experience.
Chryssa Grylli, MD, MSc, PhD (FOKUS, University Hospital Vienna) and Mag. Sophie Klomfar (Leading Clinical Psychologist, FOKUS, University Hospital Vienna)
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Laboratory for Qualitative Research in Psychology and Psychosocial Well-Being, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Nothing About Them Without Them: Inclusion, Difference and Children’s Participation
Moderator: Philia Issari, Professor of Counseling Psychology; Director, Laboratory for Qualitative Research in Psychology & Psychosocial Well-Being, NKUA
- Presentation 1. Young People in Place: A Participatory Transnational CIVIS Project.
Philia Issari (Professor of Counseling Psychology; Director, Laboratory for Qualitative Research in Psychology & Psychosocial Well-Being, NKUA); David Poveda (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid); Sabine Hennig (University of Salzburg); Quitéria Mabasso (Eduardo Mondlane University) - Presentation 2. Negotiating Meanings of Developmental Disability in Multicultural School Contexts: Parents’ and Professionals’ Accounts.
Vassilis Pavlopoulos (Professor of Cross-Cultural Social Psychology; Director, Laboratory for Applied Cross-Cultural Social Psychology, Department of Psychology, NKUA); Aikaterini Georganti (NKUA) - Presentation 3. Making Inequalities Visible: Large-Scale Educational Data and Statistical Literacy as Tools for Awareness and Action.
Ioulia Televantou — Assistant Professor in Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences, European University Cyprus - Presentation 4. Protecting the Rights of Children with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Claire Breen — Professor of Law, Te Piringa Faculty of Law, University of Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand - Presentation 5. Scaling a Constellation of Innovation for Children: Building Tomorrow’s Systems with Children as Architects of the Future.
Oumayma Raimi Rodé — Initiatives Unit Team Leader, UNICEF Office of Innovation
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by GRIIT (Gender Equity Research and Inclusive Innovation in Technology) Network
When Hate Reaches Childhood: Racist Violence, Victimisation and Juvenile Offending
Moderator: Marianna Anagnostopoulou, Psychologist-Psychotherapist (MSc); Scientific Director, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit “Agios Markos”, IASIS NGO
- Presentation 1. Building Safer Digital Futures: Research, Policy and Practice on Child Protection and Technology-Facilitated Violence.
Anitha Chinnaswamy — Director, GRIIT Network, Aston Business School, Aston University - Presentation 2. When Hate Speech Becomes a Hate Crime Committed by and Against Minors.
Michael Lolis — Officer of the Hellenic Police - Presentation 3. The Psychological Impact of Racist Violence on Children: From Trauma to Recovery.
Y/B’ (YG) Nikolaos Pepelias — Psychologist, MSc - Presentation 4. When the Machine Doesn’t See It: AI Moderation and Hidden Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls.
Ben Leary, MBA, CMgr MCMI — Director, Forensic Pathways; PhD Researcher, Aston Business School, Aston University; Member, GRIIT Network
Poster & Project Showcase
Facilitators: Nela Pacani (Project Manager, IASIS NGO); Yalin Gulbahar (EU Grant Expert, IASIS NGO); Nikos Kladis (Project Manager, IASIS NGO)
- Dyadic Co-occurrence of Close Ties, Co-involvement in Offending and Harm or Exposure to Risk among Adolescents and Young Adults: Associations with Early Family Adversity. Theodora Niopa, Social Worker, MSc in Forensic Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry; Coordinator, Center for Adolescent Support and Empowerment, Initiative for the Child Poster ID: CTP2026-C-003 · E-poster presentation
- Multidisciplinary Response to Child Abuse Cases in Heraklion: Cooperation, Forensic Interview Practice, and a Structural Gap. Konstantinos Giannoulakis, Police Captain and Psychologist; Head of Juvenile Protection Office, Heraklion Security Sub-Directorate, Hellenic Police Poster ID: CTP2026-C-019 · E-poster presentation
- When the Voice Sounds Different: Violence, Disability and Barriers to Disclosing Child Abuse. Evgenia Siaga, Psychologist, MSc Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Simplefsi Day Care for People with Disabilities, Kastoria Poster ID: CTP2026-C-001 · E-poster presentation
- Minor Child with a Syndrome: Indications of Neglect, Protective Intervention and Multidisciplinary Therapeutic Management at Simplefsi. Sofia Afentouli, Social Worker, Child and Beneficiary Safeguarding Officer, Simplefsi Day Care for People with Disabilities, Kastoria Poster ID: CTP2026-C-020 · E-poster presentation
- Improving Quality of Care for Children in the Child Protection System in Greece: A Comprehensive Intervention Using the Method of Marte Meo. Sara Markou, Psychologist, Social Welfare Center of Attika — Child Protection Unit “Agios Andreas”, Greece Poster ID: CTP2026-C-008 · E-poster presentation
13:45
Protection Without Harm: Rethinking Child Protection Systems Through the Lens of Removal Trauma
- Stefanos Alevizos — Psychologist & Postdoctoral Researcher, IASIS NGO; Research Associate, Restorative Justice and Mediation Lab, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
Moderator: To be announced
14:45
15:15
Youth Perspectives on Child Protection: Where is Children’s Voice in Securing Child Safety?
- Jill Duerr Berrick — Distinguished Professor of Social Welfare; Zellerbach Family Professor, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley
Moderator: To be announced
16:30
Joint session — facilitated by the Universities Network for Children in Armed Conflict
Childhood After the Conflict: Displacement, Collective Trauma and Recovery
Moderator: Laura Guercio, Professor, Link Campus University Rome; Secretary General, Universities Network for Children in Armed Conflict
- Presentation 1. Rebuilding Childhood: Reintegration, Recovery, and Resilience after Armed Conflict.
Laura Guercio — Professor, Link Campus University Rome; Secretary General, Universities Network for Children in Armed Conflict - Presentation 2. From Victimization to Resilience: A Bioecological Approach to Intergroup Conflict and Holistic Interventions for Children and Youth.
Theofilos Gkinopoulos — Associate Professor of Social Psychology; Director, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Athens Campus - Presentation 3. Protecting Children’s Mental Health Online and Building Resilience: Ukraine’s Wartime Experience.
Anastasiya Dzyakava — Founder and CEO, NGO Dignity Online, Ukraine - Presentation 4. Community-Based Child Protection in Practice: ASAM’s Experience in Supporting Children and Youth.
Başak Kütahya — Program Coordinator, Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM)
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis
Child Safety in the Context of Parental Substance Use: Challenges of Detection, Assessment, and Intervention
Moderator: Sarah Font, Professor of Social Work, Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis
- Presentation 1. Parenting in the Context of Addiction: Mechanisms of Harm and Opportunities for Protection.
Sarah Font — Professor of Social Work, Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis - Presentation 2. Substance Use as the Underlying Driver of Neglect: From Infancy to Adolescence.
Lindsey Palmer, PhD — Assistant Professor, University of Utah College of Social Work - Presentation 3. From Data to Detection: Administrative Data Partnerships and Lessons from Pennsylvania.
Ezra G. Goldstein — Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Cyberpsychology Research Network (CRN), University of Huddersfield
Belonging, Algorithms and Harm: The Psychology of Children’s Digital Lives
Moderators: Professor Dr Maria Ioannou, PhD (CRN, University of Huddersfield) and Dr Calli Tzani, PhD (CRN, University of Huddersfield)
- Presentation 1. The Dark Side of Belonging: Vulnerability and Emerging Online Communities.
Professor Dr Maria Ioannou — PhD; Professor in Psychology, CRN, University of Huddersfield, UK - Presentation 2. Algorithms & Circular Causality: Trapped in the Loop of Algorithmic Amplification, Psychological Feedback Cycles, and Collective Behavioural Dynamics.
Dr Calli Tzani — PhD; Associate Professor in Psychology, CRN, University of Huddersfield, UK - Presentation 3. Invisible Risks, Visible Consequences: The Psychology of Online Radicalisation in Children and Adolescents.
Chryssa Kaltsoni — Social Criminologist — Forensic Psychologist; Adjunct Lecturer, Hellenic Police Academy; Member, Thematic Panel 1, EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation - Presentation 4. Imagination and Creativity in the Era of AI: Playing the Generative Game.
Kishonna Gray — Professor, School of Information, University of Michigan - Presentation 5. Child Online Protection in Practice: Building Safer and More Empowering Digital Environments.
Fanny-Carlotta Rotino — Programme Officer, Child Online Protection, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Emo-Battle — Hands-on Experience of a Serious Game
Facilitators: Nela Pacani, Yalin Gulbahar, Nikos Kladis (IASIS NGO)
- Prof. Olaf Kraus de Camargo — Professor of Pediatrics, Developmental Paediatrics; Co-director, CanChild Centre for Childhood-onset Disability Research; McMaster Global Ambassador, McMaster University / CanChild, Canada
Format. Hands-on serious game; approximately 10 minutes per game, with 4 players participating at a time.
17:00
Community Psychiatry in the Context of Child Protection: Resistance, Transformations, and Challenges
- Stelios Stylianidis — Psychiatrist–Psychoanalyst; Emeritus Professor of Social Psychiatry, Panteion University; Honorary President and Founder, EPAPSY
Moderator: To be announced
17:30
Closing Remarks — Day 1
- Stefanos Alevizos — Psychologist & Postdoctoral Researcher, IASIS NGO; Research Associate, Restorative Justice and Mediation Lab, Panteion University
19:00
Official Ceremony
Moderator: Kostis Katsanevas, Special Advisor, Crestview Strategy, Greece
- Greetings from Nikos Baltas, CEO, IASIS NGO
- Young People from the Groups of IASIS NGO and DCI Greece
- Connecting, Mobilizing, Acting: Accelerating Global Efforts to End Violence Against Children.
Dr Najat Maalla M’jid — Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence Against Children - “Children’s Rights: The Skies are Darkening!”
Prof. Philip D. Jaffé — Professor Emeritus; Vice-Chair, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child - Professor Dr Vasiliki Artinopoulou — Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences; Director, “Restorative Justice and Mediation” Lab; Director, Institute on Crime and Criminal Justice, EPLO; Member of the SPT, United Nations — Head of the European Region
09:00
09:30
Reducing the Impact of Iatrogenic Outcomes: An Organizational Challenge to Ensure Child and Youth Wellbeing
- Yvonne M. Vissing — Professor, Department of Healthcare Studies; Director, Center for Childhood and Youth Studies; Policy Chair, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; Salem State University
Moderator: To be announced
10:00
The Treatment of Child Abuse Offenders as a Prevention Strategy
- Athanasios Douzenis — Professor of Psychiatry – Forensic Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School; President, Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association
Moderator: To be announced
11:15
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by DCI Greece
From Protection to Belonging: Restorative Pathways with Displaced Children and Youth — Lessons from Greece and Lebanon
Moderator: Nantina Tsekeri, Founder & Director, Defence for Children International — Greece; Vice-President, European Child-Friendly Justice Network
- Presentation 1. It Takes a System to Protect a Child: Building a Continuum of Protection for Unaccompanied Children in Greece.
Gelly Aroni, PhD — Head of the Directorate for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors, General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Greece - Presentation 2. Voices in Motion: How Can Restorative Justice and Legal Empowerment Enable Meaningful Participation, Strengthen Children’s Agency and Foster Belonging?
Nantina Tsekeri — Founder & Director, DCI Greece; Vice-President, European Child-Friendly Justice Network - Presentation 3. Incredible Me: Integrating Mental Health and Psychosocial Support into Child-Centred Justice.
Manal Eid — Founder, Children Connect Now; DCI Vice-President for the MENA Region and Country Director, CCN/DCI Lebanon - Presentation 4. Beyond the Stage: How Can Theatre Become a Space for Restoration, Voice and Transformation? Lessons from the Korydallos Prison Theatre Workshop and the Voices in Motion Programme.
Aikaterini Papageorgiou — Theatre Director and Artistic Director of Theatro Bellos and The Young Quill; Director and Facilitator of the Korydallos Prison Theatre Workshop; Theatre Director of Voices in Motion - Presentation 5. Lessons from Within: What Does It Take for Restoration and Justice to Be Felt?
DCI Greece Youth Ambassadors
From Lethality to Prevention: Gender-Based Violence Across the Life of a Girl
Moderator: Electra Spyrou, MSc, Social Worker; MSc in Clinical Social Work with Children, Adolescents & Families; MBA Candidate, University of Strathclyde; Head of Social Service, IASIS NGO
- Presentation 1. Violence Against Girls: Facts, Statistics and Reality.
Adine Samadi (President, National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Young Women’s Shelters, Sweden) and Emma Momqvist (Executive Director, Women’s and Girls’ Shelter in Borlänge, Sweden) - Presentation 2. Mapping the Lethality of Gender-Based and Domestic Violence Through Lived Experience and Qualitative Evidence.
Konstantina Sklavou — Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, University of West Attica; Chair, Society for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents (EPSYYPE) - Presentation 3. Sexual Child Abuse in Sports: Perceptions, Risk Factors, and Protection Mechanisms in the Republic of Serbia.
Jovana Škorić — Associate Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Social Work, University of Novi Sad; Center for Missing and Exploited Children - Presentation 4. The Role of Anti-Violence Centres in Preventing Secondary Victimization of Children Exposed to Gender-Based Violence: Feminist, Intersectional and Protective Responses.
Sofia Biondani — Project Coordinator and Trainer, Differenza Donna APS, Rome, Italy - Presentation 5. The Role of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Supporting Young People’s Wellbeing and Preventing Gender-Based Violence: Bottom-Up Talks Approach.
Rūta Grigaliūnaitė — Project Manager, CESIE ETS; Coordinator of the SexSense Network
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association
Assessing Parental Capacity in a Forensic Psychiatry Setting
Moderator: Marie-Louise Psarra, Clinical Forensic Psychologist, 2nd Department of Psychiatry, NKUA, “Attikon” University General Hospital; General Secretary, Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association
- Presentation 1. Assessing Parental Capacity in Parents with Serious Mental Illness.
Athanasios Douzenis — Professor of Psychiatry – Forensic Psychiatry, NKUA Medical School; President, Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association - Presentation 2. Assessing Parental Capacity: Ethical and Legal Implications.
Marie-Louise Psarra — Clinical Forensic Psychologist, 2nd Department of Psychiatry, NKUA, “Attikon” University General Hospital; General Secretary, Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association - Presentation 3. Assessing Parental Capacity in Cases of Hostile Divorces.
Georgia Kalemi — Clinical Psychologist, 2nd Department of Psychiatry, NKUA, “Attikon” University Hospital; Treasurer, Hellenic Forensic Psychiatric Association
Children on the Move: Challenges and Legal Avenues
Organized and moderated by HIAS Greece
- Elli Kriona-Saranti — Managing Attorney, HIAS Greece; Lawyer at the Supreme Court of Greece
- Pelopidas-Alexios Nikolopoulos — Lawyer; Head of Advocacy, Network for Children’s Rights (NCR), Greece
- Marta Llonch — Lawyer, Gentium, Spain; Member of the Barcelona Bar Association legal aid service for age-determination proceedings involving unaccompanied migrant children
Description. This workshop will explore the evolving legal and practical landscape for protecting migrant children in countries that serve as primary points of entry into Europe. As the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum enters into force, practitioners and experts from frontline states will examine how the new framework is shaping national procedures, safeguards and access to rights for children on the move. The discussion will connect policy with practice, highlighting concrete legal avenues, strategic litigation and advocacy approaches to address emerging protection risks.
11:45
13:00
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by EuroHealthNet
Screens, Equity and Public Health: Prevention Beyond the Individual Child
Moderator: Hannes Jarke, Project & Policy Coordinator — Mental Health, EuroHealthNet
- Presentation 1. Beyond the Miracle of Digital Technology, Children’s Health and Development Are at Risk. How Can We Protect Them?
Stella Canna Michaelidou — Expert on the Impacts of Toxic Factors on Children’s Health; President, Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health - Presentation 2. Parents and the Protection of Minors Online: A Study Comparing the Frequency of Harmful Media Experiences Between Swedish Children (13–18) from Families with Different Socio-Economic Status.
Martin Karlsson — Research Officer, Swedish Agency for the Media - Presentation 3. Digital Risks and Child Wellbeing: Mental Health, School Functioning, and Protection.
Eyup Sabir Erbicer (Assistant Professor, Siirt University, Türkiye) and Halil Ecer (Sociologist, Youth, Future and Society Association (GEGET), Türkiye) - Presentation 4. From Public Health Recommendations to Everyday Conversations: A Swedish Picture-Based Tool for Professionals Meeting Parents of Young Children.
Hanna Hartleb — Senior Adviser, Swedish Agency for the Media, Stockholm, Sweden
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Association for Free Play
How Can Play Function as a Protective Space for Children and Young People?
Moderator: Borbála Marosán, Junior Research Fellow; PhD Candidate in Sociology; Member, Association for Free Play
- Presentation 1. Play as Protection — exploring how free, self-directed play can contribute to children’s wellbeing, resilience, agency, relationships and their capacity to navigate uncertainty and manageable risk.
Borbála Marosán — Junior Research Fellow; PhD Candidate in Sociology; Member, Association for Free Play - Presentation 2. Play for Protection — exploring how playful methods can help us engage with questions of protection, relationships and vulnerability.
Borka Moravcsik — Product and Service Designer; Member, Association for Free Play - Presentation 3. Protecting Play — what adults, institutions and communities need to protect (time, space, autonomy, trust, inclusion and appropriate adult presence) so children have meaningful opportunities for free play.
Boglárka Varga — Designer and Educator, St. Angela Franciscan Primary and Secondary School
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Embassy of Switzerland
Navigating Crisis, Cultivating Futures: Connecting Youth at Risk from Frontline Interventions to Policy Action
Moderator: Angeliki Doula, Psychologist, IASIS NGO
- Presentation 1. Connecting Youth at Risk: Cultivating Futures for Migrants through Frontline Interventions and Evidence-Based Data.
Angeliki Doula — Psychologist, IASIS NGO - Presentation 2. Early Integration as a Pathway to Sustainable Inclusion: The Example of Pre-Integration Activities in the Reception System.
Evangelia Ktistaki — Director of Social Integration, General Directorate of Migration Policy, Ministry of Migration and Asylum - Presentation 3. Investing in Sustainable Futures: Scaling Frontline Innovation through Swiss Cooperation.
Konstantinos Mourtezas — National Programme Officer, Swiss Contribution Office — Greece and Cyprus, Embassy of Switzerland in Greece - Presentation 4. Frontline Reception and Crisis De-escalation: Operational Insights from High-Pressure Settings.
Name to be confirmed — Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Reception and Identification Service
Making Children’s Participation Meaningful and Safe: Translating Article 12 into Professional Practice
- Georgina Dimopoulos — Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, Southern Cross University, Australia
Description. Children’s right to participation is enshrined in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This interdisciplinary training workshop will support professionals across sectors in translating this right into meaningful, safe and developmentally appropriate practice. Participants will explore practical approaches to scaffolding children’s participation, identify enabling factors and common barriers, and engage with insights from children and young people about what genuine participation looks and feels like across different service contexts.
14:00
15:15
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the Institute for Children’s Futures (ICF), Manchester Metropolitan University
The Institute for Children’s Futures: Advancing Cross-Sector Approaches to Child Protection
Moderator: Saul Becker, Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor, Department of Health & Education, Manchester Metropolitan University; Founding Director of the ICF
- Presentation 1. Identification, Assessment and Support of Children Who Are Unpaid Family Carers (“Young Carers”).
Prof. Saul Becker — Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor, Department of Health & Education, Manchester Metropolitan University; Founding Director of the ICF - Presentation 2. Overarching Work Across Child Protection Matters: The Police System and Safeguarding.
Prof. Michelle McManus — Director of the ICF; Professor in Safeguarding and Violence Prevention - Presentation 3. Relational Practice as Protection: Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Prof. Deborah James — Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Health & Social Care - Presentation 4. Child Protection in Sport: Emerging Issues and Trends.
Dr Seamus Byrne — Reader in Law; Faculty Lead for the ICF
Where Protection Begins: Family, Parenting and the Child’s Own Voice
Moderator: To be announced
- Presentation 1. Connecting to Protect Begins with the Family: A Global Framework for Children and Youth at Risk in the Decade Ahead.
Isidro de Brito — President of the Board, ANJAF — Associação Nacional para a Acção Familiar, Lisbon, Portugal; President of the Board of Directors, World Family Organization (UIOF), in general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - Presentation 2. Parental Separation and the Reorganisation of Childhood.
Georgina Dimopoulos — Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, Southern Cross University, Australia - Presentation 3. Parents as Guardians and Advocates of Child Rights and Child Agency.
Eszter Salamon, PhD — Director and Research Lead, Parents International - Presentation 4. Participation Is Protection: The MovingOn Toolbox for Meaningful Youth Participation.
Ilias Michail Rafail — Psychologist (BA); Adult Educator (MEd); Training Manager, IASIS NGO
Community-Based Psychosocial Support and Education: Bridging Schools, Families and Services
Moderator: To be announced
- Presentation 1. Evaluating the Effectiveness of the School-Based Psychoeducational Intervention Program “Prevention of Violence and Juvenile Delinquency”.
Charis Asimopoulos (Professor of Social Work, Department of Social Work, University of West Attica (PADA)) and Vasiliki Yotsidi (PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences) - Presentation 2. Connect Thessaloniki: Activities of the Youth Center and Mobile Unit During the Programme’s 18 Months of Operation — Review and Reflection.
Aikaterini Tsoura, MD, MSc — Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Scientific Director of Connect Thessaloniki, Connect Family and Connect Ionian; Board Member of the Thessaloniki Society for the Protection of Minors - Presentation 3. Psychosocial Interventions for Adolescents in the Community: Insights from the Pilot Programme “It’s Up to You(th)”.
Valeria Linardou — Senior Social Worker, Trained in Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy; Scientific Coordinator, “It’s Up to You(th)” - Presentation 4. Social Work and Children’s Violence and Abuse: Empowering Professionals to Bridge Schools, Families and Local Authorities.
Agapi Kandylaki — Professor in Critical Counselling in Social Work and Multiculturalism, Department of Social Work, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Heraklion, Crete
15:45
The Impact of Mental Health Challenges on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Young People
- Helen Griffiths — Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Moderator: To be announced
17:00
Children in Custody of the State: Unaccompanied Minors, Institutional Care and Disappearance
Moderator: Chara Spyropoulou, Psychologist (MSc), CBT Psychotherapist; Head of Housing & Community Psychological Services, IASIS NGO; Scientific Director, “Connect Autism” Day Center for Autism
- Presentation 1. Unaccompanied Minors Protection in Greece: Vulnerability, Youth at Risk, and Risk Management.
Stavroula Kofina — Social Worker — Social Scientist; Head of the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation of Accommodation Shelters for Unaccompanied Minors, General Secretariat for Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum - Presentation 2. Institutional Care for Unaccompanied Children: Perspectives from Greece and Poland.
Christina Voulimenea — Legal Coordinator, ELIL (European Lawyers in Lesvos) - Presentation 3. Digital Connectivity in Contexts of Mobility: Children on the Move’s Experiences, Online Risks, and Pathways to Safer Digital Environments.
Sofia Eleftheriadou (ARSIS — Association for the Social Support of Youth), Karina Violeta Padilla Malca (ECPAT International) and Andrea Varrella (ECPAT International) - Presentation 4. From Grooming to Abuse, Exploitation and Disappearance: Protecting Children Across Digital Spaces.
Léa Meindre-Chautrand — Advocacy Manager, Missing Children Europe
Session / Roundtable — facilitated by the International Centre for Justice Alliance (ICJA)
Child-Centred Justice and Protection from Violence: Putting Children’s Rights at the Heart of Systems
Moderator: Cédric Foussard, Founder and Chair, International Centre for Justice Alliance (ICJA)
- Presentation 1. 2.3 Billion Children. One Question: Is Justice Designed for Them?
Cédric Foussard — Founder and Chair, International Centre for Justice Alliance (ICJA) - Presentation 2. Who Supports Those Who Support Others? A Hub at the Intersection of Trauma, Voice and Child-Centred Justice.
Marine Braun — International Independent Child Rights Expert - Presentation 3. Expanding Diversion: The Path to a Child-Centered and Child-Friendly Justice.
Panagiota Kanellopoulou — Lawyer and Mediator; Access to Justice Project Coordinator, Terre des hommes Hellas - Presentation 4. The Lives of Other… Children.
Olga Themeli — Professor of Criminological Psychology, University of Crete
The Invisible Weight: Adolescent Mental Health, Hidden Needs and Trauma-Informed Care
Moderator: To be announced
- Presentation 1. Hidden Injury, Hidden Rights: Traumatic Brain Injury and the Right to Thrive.
Huw Williams — Professor in Clinical Neuropsychology; Co-Director, Centre for Clinical Neuropsychology Research (CCNR); Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement, University of Exeter, UK - Presentation 2. Connect to Protect Adolescent Mental Health: Community-Based Evidence from the Greek MMPI-A-RF Standardization.
Christina Roussi — Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology, Special Education Department, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece - Presentation 3. Connecting Health, Social Care, and Education: Community-Based Mental Health Services for Children and Youth at Risk.
Elena Kopcova, PhD and Martin Mnahoncak, PhD, MBA — TENENET (NGO), Slovakia - Presentation 4. Big Talks for Little People: A Digital Mental Health Program for Primary Schools — An International Program.
Phillip Thomas Slee — Professor (Emeritus) in Human Development, Flinders University, Australia
Influenced™ in Practice: From Awareness to Action in Preventing Online Child Exploitation
- Preston Goff — VP Global Communications & Co-Creator of Influenced™, The Exodus Road
- Sarah Ray — VP Global Programs & Co-Author of Influenced™, The Exodus Road
Description. This interactive workshop offers participants a hands-on introduction to Influenced™, an innovative digital safety and exploitation prevention programme developed by The Exodus Road. Drawing on frontline experience in combating child exploitation and human trafficking, the session moves beyond theory to provide practical tools, educational resources, and real-world strategies for supporting children, young people, families, and communities in the digital age. Through live demonstrations, experiential activities, and facilitated discussion, participants will explore emerging online risks—including grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying, and technology-facilitated exploitation—while gaining practical insights into implementing digital safety education within schools, youth services, community organisations, and child protection systems.
17:30
Raising Moral and Thriving Children
- Richard Weissbourd — Senior Lecturer and Faculty Director, Making Caring Common, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Moderator: Lamprini Ntountoumi, Sociologist-Researcher, IASIS NGO
18:30
Connect to Protect: Turning Two Days of Evidence into Global Commitments for Children
- Moderator: George Katsarakis — Hellenic Philanthropy Foundation (Washington, DC)
- High-level panellists:
- Heracles Moskoff — General Secretary for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection
- Prof. Philip D. Jaffé — Professor Emeritus; Vice-Chair, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Oumayma Raimi Rodé — Initiatives Unit Team Leader, UNICEF Office of Innovation
- Dr Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou — President of GREVIO (Council of Europe); Governing Board Member, Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights
- Helen Griffiths — Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Joyce Mutiso — Global Protection Cluster and UNICEF
- Fanny-Carlotta Rotino — Programme Officer, Child Online Protection, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- George Nikolaidis — Psychiatrist; Director, Department of Mental Health and Social Welfare, Institute of Child Health
- Recorded Video Message — “Age Restrictions Are Not the Goal. Safety Is: Why Unsafe Online Services May Require Age Limits.”
Julie Inman Grant — Australian eSafety Commissioner
Meet the full list of speakers →
Register for the Conference
What leading experts say about CTP Conference
In a world where so many children now grow up amid conflict, climate disruption, digital harms, and shrinking safety nets, the “Connect to Protect – Children and Youth at Risk” international conference in Athens offers a vital opportunity to refine... and perhaps even reimagine... how we connect across systems to protect those most at risk. Even in an age of polycrisis and fiscal austerity, the protection and care of children cannot be allowed to unravel. This moment demands that we put our minds together not only to prevent further erosion, but to trigger the opposite dynamic: renewed commitment, smarter cooperation, and more resilient child protection systems.
PANTEION UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES, SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, DIRECTOR of the ‘Restorative Justice and Mediation’ Lab, DIRECTOR of the Institute on Crime and Criminal Justice, EUROPEAN PUBLIC LAW ORGANIZATION, MEMBER of SPT, United Nations, Head of the European Region
Violence against children remains one of the most serious and preventable violations of human rights. In line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, effective prevention requires coherent and comprehensive national strategies that translate international obligations into sustained public action. By strengthening evidence-informed, rights-based policies, enhancing coordination across sectors, and ensuring that the best interests of the child guide all measures, States can move from formal commitments to meaningful and lasting protection. This conference will advance dialogue and cooperation in support of prevention-oriented national responses that safeguard children from violence in all settings.
Distinguished Professor of Social Welfare Zellerbach Family Professor School of Social Welfare | University of California, Berkeley
I look forward to meeting you in beautiful Athens where we will engage in a lively discussion about the role of children in charting their own destiny to secure their safety and well-being
Psychologist & Postdoctoral Researcher IASIS NGO, Research Associate, Restorative Justice and Mediation Lab, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
The Connect to Protect – Children & Youth at Risk Conference was created as a space where research, professional practice, and public policy come together to improve the protection of children and young people at risk. Children today face complex and overlapping risks, including violence, neglect, mental health challenges, social exclusion, and digital harm. These challenges require child protection systems that are not only effective, but also humane, coordinated, and trauma-informed. While the world around children is constantly changing, the fundamental rights of children remain unchanged. The principles and spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child continue to serve as a stable and universal framework that guides our responsibility to protect, support, and respect every child. In times of social, technological, and cultural transformation, safeguarding these rights becomes even more essential. This conference brings together researchers, frontline professionals, policy makers, and civil society organisations to share knowledge, reflect on current practices, and explore better ways to protect children and youth. The goal is not only to discuss problems, but to support cooperation and practical solutions that place the best interests of the child at the centre. Connect to Protect aims to build stronger links between knowledge, practice, and policy, and to contribute to child protection systems that truly protect without causing additional harm.
Connect to Protect – Children & Youth at Risk Conference is an international forum dedicated to strengthening child protection and improving outcomes for vulnerable children, adolescents, and young people. Organised by IASIS NGO, the conference brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and organisations working across sectors to address the most pressing challenges affecting children and youth today.
Contact Us
Subscribe Our Newsletter
CONNECT TO PROTECT
© Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved
Philip D. Jaffé
Professor Emeritus, Vice-chair UN Committee on the Rights of the Child