INTERSOS Hellas, in cooperation with the Network for Children’s Rights, presents the new report of the project “Protection for All Minors: Path to Safety and Stability“. This report, which covers the period from March 2025 to February 2026, captures the current challenges, perspectives and path of unaccompanied children and young adults during the transitional phase of their adulthood in Greece.
Facing the challenge of growing up
Unaccompanied children and young adults (18-21 years old) in Greece face a significant protection gap once they turn 18. Benefits such as accommodation in Accommodation Centres or Supervised Apartments, as well as the institution of guardianship, automatically cease to apply. Without a comprehensive national transition mechanism, these young people often find themselves in a situation of housing insecurity and social exclusion.
The “Protection for All Minors: Path to Safety and Stability” programme focuses on exactly this critical age group, offering a safety net and essential support for their smooth integration into society and the labour market.
Main Pillars of Action & Support
The report analyses how the programme intervenes holistically to empower the beneficiaries, emphasising the following directions:
- Psychosocial & Legal Support: Specialized trauma counselling, legal representation and informing young people of their rights.
- Employability Counselling: Strengthening the skills of beneficiaries, vocational orientation and preparation for independent living and legal employment.
- Learning the Greek Language: Actions to bridge the language barrier, which is a key prerequisite for access to education and the labour market.
- Cooperation with the EMEA & Agencies: Continuous liaison with the National Emergency Response Mechanism (NRM) for immediate identification and referral of children living in precarious conditions.
Challenges and Gaps in the Institutional Framework
The report brings to light the main systemic gaps and challenges young people face in the transition process:
- Lack of Guardianship: The delay or lack of appointment of a guardian denies many unaccompanied children the opportunity to apply for permission to work legally.
- Housing insecurity: transitional structures for 18-21 year olds remain extremely limited, leading many young people into informal and risky forms of co-housing or employment.
- Completion of Programmes: the gradual completion of existing accession programmes further limits the support options available.
The numbers and the impact of the programme
The report includes detailed statistics, qualitative feedback from the unaccompanied children and young adults themselves, as well as success stories that highlight the real impact of the intervention on the lives of the beneficiaries.