It is established that the needs of children at risk of abuse/neglect require the coordination and collaboration of protection teams within the hospital.
The Objectives of the Units:
- Early detection, comprehensive assessment, and medical care of children experiencing any form of abuse/neglect.
- Collaboration with any professional necessary to address the individualized needs of children and their families.
- Timely information to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The Units represent the first hospital spaces in Greece for:
- Examination and monitoring of infants and children with suspected abuse/neglect.
- Coordination of interdisciplinary care, involving all professional teams tasked with managing abuse cases, e.g., doctor, nurse, social worker, mental health professional, forensic specialist, police, etc.
- Development of written protocols/directives for identifying and managing cases of abused/neglected children.
- Design of primary and secondary prevention research/education programs for abuse.
- Data collection for designing and implementing scientifically supported prevention and management strategies for cases of child abuse/neglect.
According to international standards, the Units have a clinic suitably designed and child-friendly for examining children, as well as a meeting and working space for all involved in their care.
1st Child Safety Care Unit at P. & A. Kyriakou Children's Hospital
The 1st Child Safety Care Unit of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) was established at “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, initiated by ELIZA and inaugurated on June 5, 2018, by the President of the Hellenic Republic.
ELIZA warmly thanks the Varvitsioti family, the Dimitriou and Blans Lampropoulou Foundation, the Angelikousis Foundation, as well as friends and members of ELIZA for their generosity and catalytic contribution to the establishment of the Unit.
2nd Child Safety Care Unit at Attikon Hospital
The inauguration of the Child Safety Care Unit – “ELIZA” of the 3rd Pediatric Clinic NKUA, at Attikon General University Hospital, took place on Monday, November 22, 2021, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
ELIZA sincerely thanks PRODEA Investments for its generosity and catalytic contribution to the establishment of the Unit, as well as the MATILDA Foundation and Henkel Beauty Care Greece for their significant support for the daily operation and staffing of the Unit.
Child Safety Care Unit in Alexandroupolis
The inauguration of the Child Safety Care Unit of the Pediatric Clinic of DUTH at the University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis took place on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
The Unit was established by Eliza – Association against Child Abuse. It is the first hospital space for the examination and interdisciplinary management of infants and children with suspected abuse/neglect in Northern Greece.
ELIZA warmly thanks Spiros and Lina Theodoropoulou for entirely funding the creation of the new Unit. Additionally, the Unit is staffed with a child psychiatrist through the support of Goldman Sachs Gives in collaboration with the Bodossaki Foundation.
Child Safety Care Unit in Thessaloniki
The new Child Safety Care Unit at the 1st Pediatric Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki at Papageorgiou General Hospital is expected to open in 2023.
ELIZA sincerely thanks all active members of the Greek community in the United States for their efforts in securing the necessary resources for the operation and staffing of the Unit.