The Protection for All Minors programme, implemented by INTERSOS Hellas in collaboration with the Network for Children’s Rights and launched in August 2022, supports unaccompanied and separated children in Greece. 

The programme's primary goal is to reduce the number of children living in unsafe conditions by encouraging them to move into emergency shelters or semi-independent living apartments (SIL). It is designed for:

• children living in precarious conditions with adults (often self-declared relatives);
• children not located after their initial referral;
• children previously living in emergency shelters who are again homeless;
• children identified at asylum offices.

The programme is built around the following focus areas:

1. Holistic service provision: encourage children to leave unsafe conditions.
2. Referral and shelter: ensure safe transfer to shelters via Mobile Units.
3. Legal and psychosocial support: regular updates to the juvenile prosecutor regarding each child's living conditions and legal status.

This report from the Network for Children’s Rights shares key statistics demonstrating the programme's progress so far (October 2022 - August 2024), including:

• Referrals: 1 091 children referred by the National Mechanism.
• Discoveries: 410 children identified at Asylum Offices.
• Support: 13 children directly approached the programme's office themselves.
• Demographics: Predominantly boys (98%), aged 15-18. Most children are from Egypt, followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

The report finds that the programme has significantly strengthened the protection system for unaccompanied minors in Greece. Despite efforts, a high number of children remain outside formal shelter, emphasising the need for increased programme staff to provide more personalised support. Challenges highlighted by the report include the high caseloads (currently 30 children per casework professional) and the ongoing need to build trust and encourage children to move to safer environments.