Filenews 11 January 2026 - by Marios Demetriou
"With a wide range of actions that include prevention, immediate intervention, long-term rehabilitation and advocacy, 'Hope For Children' CRC Policy Center (HFC) has continued for 17 years to work consistently and scientifically documented, putting the child at the center of every policy, service and action," said the executive director of this international independent humanitarian organization, Andria Neocleous, in an interview with "F". She reminded that the HFC was established in Cyprus in 2008 and "is one of the main pillars of child protection in Cyprus, with multi-level and constantly evolving action that covers critical social and institutional gaps, guided by the best interests of the child and the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child". Particularly noteworthy is the mention of Mrs. Neocleous that the "House of the Child", which plays a key role in the work of the HFC for the holistic treatment of child abuse, has served on a nationwide basis since 2017, when it operated until today, "at least 3,000 children for possible sexual abuse". She said that "this number reflects both the severity of the phenomenon and the usefulness of the structure in detecting and supporting cases".
The Invisible World and the Untold Stories
"We come into contact with the world of children every day – not the world we see in the photos, but the real one, the one that often remains invisible," reads an HFC announcement two days before 2025 expires. And it is added: "We heard children who are struggling, who are afraid to talk about what is happening at home, children who were left out of school because they were limited by their own parents, children who, despite neglect and abuse, continue to think of their families with love. We supported children who had to be evacuated from their homes to be safe. Girls who, while trying to build relationships, were sexually abused. Boys who sent photos of themselves to fake online profiles and were victims of cyberbullying. We handled cases of child sexual abuse who found the courage to speak out – some of them to protect their younger siblings. A young girl turned to us because she was pregnant and had no one to turn to. We spoke to children who left home to escape violence. We saw children who self-harm, and others who wanted to end their lives – children in pain. And yet we also met children who asked to move forward, who sought solutions, even when their past was heavy with painful experiences. In the years that have passed, we have come across countless different stories. We know that many still remain unspoken. Stories of children who need support, safety and guidance. That's why we're here. For the children who are reluctant to speak, for those who feel trapped and alone, for the children who are looking for solutions, for those who are afraid. For those who need a safe space to reveal, for the first time, that "something is wrong". We are here 24 hours a day. A phone call away. Because no child should be left alone with his difficulties."
The Children's House and a friendly justice
Regarding the "House of the Child", the executive director of Hope For Children told "F" that "it operates on the basis of the Icelandic Barnahus model, an internationally recognized model that aims to avoid re-victimization and ensure the protection of child victims of abuse". She added that "in this context, in a unified and child-friendly environment, critical services such as the forensic interview (videotaped testimony), forensic examinations, psychological evaluation and treatment, as well as social support and rehabilitation are concentrated – all this with the cooperation of an interdisciplinary team of HFC experts and key state agencies, such as the special investigative team of the Cyprus Police, the Social Welfare Services, the Mental Health Services, the Medical Services, the Educational Psychology Service of the Ministry of Education, and the Legal Service. The management of this program has been entrusted to the HFC by the Social Welfare Services of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, which is the competent state body for its implementation. With the funding of Cyta, the support of the FONI Council and the approval of the Supreme Court, the electronic connection of the Children's Home with the Courts throughout Cyprus has been achieved, through teleconferencing systems. This practice allows for the testimony of child victims of sexual abuse via video call, achieving a more child-friendly justice. It provides a single space for various stages of the process, reducing the need for children to move between services and repeat traumatic processes."
Foster care – when the biological family cannot...
Andria Neocleous pointed out that "many children quite often need to be removed from their biological parents when they face serious difficulties that do not allow them to adequately respond to their role, such as cases of neglect, violence, abuse or abandonment. Based on the experience of Hope For Children – she added – in recent years there has been an increase in reports of violence, which contributes to the increase in the removal of children from their families. At the same time, there are cases where parents face chronic or incurable diseases and are temporarily unable to take care of their children. When relocation is deemed necessary, a significant number of children are placed in foster families so that they can continue to enjoy family life, stability and security. The priority is the safety and care of the children, while supporting the biological family, with the aim of restoring the dysfunctions and – if conditions allow – the return of the child to his biological family. In the context of this institution, the Social Welfare Services have assigned to the HFC the assessment (psychological and social), education and continuous support of the foster families in cooperation with the Services at a pan-Cypriot level. At the same time, our organization invests in informing and raising awareness of society about the institution of foster care and its distinction from adoption. Although the institution of foster families is not yet widespread in Cyprus, many couples and single people are interested and want to join it, opening their arms and home to children in need. The number of foster families that exist today in Cyprus is significant and not negligible, however, unfortunately it is not enough to meet the needs that exist, as the numbers do not allow for complacency. A large number of children continue to be accommodated in child shelters, instead of growing up in a family. Our main goal always remains the promotion of the institution and the attraction of new prospective foster families."
The Counselling Center for Children and Families
The important work of the Counselling Center for Children and Families operated by HFC was also mentioned by the director of the organization. He clarified that the Center provides free psychological services to children and families and informed us that due to the increasing demand for such services, "in 2026, a building of the Association of Greek Women Ladies MANA is to be granted for use by the organization, which after being renovated by the HFC will house the Center's services". Ms. Neocleous stressed that important priorities of the Center are "immediate response and management of incidents, without waiting time, support in critical life events, family difficulties or adjustment difficulties and early intervention at the level of tertiary prevention, even without diagnosis at the clinical/pathological level. The main objective is to support, with a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, cases related to the emotional problems of children, including children who experience difficult events in their lives (e.g. parental divorce, running away from home, school bullying, loss of a loved one, behavioural problems, etc.). By using the new building with specially designed spaces, we aim to create an environment where children will feel comfortable and safe as they deal with complex emotional issues."
Hosting and supporting unaccompanied children
Through the shelters and the wider services it provides, Hope For Children has so far supported more than 1800 unaccompanied children who lost or separated their families and were forced to leave their homes, the director of the organization informed us. She said the HFC operates the "Houses of Hope" in Nicosia and Larnaca, which are 24-hour shelters and semi-independent living facilities for unaccompanied children under the tutelage of the director of Social Welfare Services. "The aim of these structures – she stressed – is to provide unaccompanied children, in addition to housing, with interdisciplinary and holistic services to meet their needs to the best possible extent, with particular emphasis on providing psycho-social and legal support. At the same time, educational and recreational activities are provided, as well as actions for integration and the development of social skills."
Educational activities in schools and in the community
"An important pillar of Hope For Children's action is educational and preventive interventions in schools throughout Cyprus," underlined Andria Neocleous. "The organization – she told us – implements experiential workshops and educational programs for children and adolescents, with an emphasis on the prevention of school bullying, violence and discrimination, as well as on topics related to children's rights, respect for diversity, empowerment and healthy behaviour. At the same time, HFC organizes educational seminars and training programs for teachers, parents, health professionals and professionals who come into contact with children, to enhance knowledge and skills in identifying, preventing and managing incidents of child abuse, violence and violation of children's rights, as well as to improve communication with children." Mrs. Neocleous made special reference to the new program of educational activities that will start in 2026 for the children of the mountainous area of Solea, "with the aim of strengthening their access to educational activities as well as prevention and empowerment programs". She also referred to a new program recently assigned to the HFC by the Social Welfare Services and concerns the response to emergency social needs outside the working hours of the SWS in all districts of Cyprus. "The program ensures immediate intervention in emergencies involving children and families, substantially strengthening the social safety net," she noted.
Helplines and protection mechanisms
It is noted that HFC has established the National Helpline 1466 which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without any charge, as underlined by Mrs. Neocleous. She added that this hotline "provides support and guidance to children who face any kind of abuse and neglect, such as bullying, physical or sexual abuse, cyberbullying, grooming, etc., as well as to parents or any citizen seeking guidance on issues concerning children. The calls received by the Helpline are transferred to the specialized staff of the organization, including psychologists, social workers and lawyers, depending on the needs of the people calling." In addition, HFC in collaboration with SPAVO (Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family) operates the European Missing Children Helpline 116000, available 24 hours a day, as well as the European Helpline for Children and Adolescents 116111. At the same time, it operates the child alert mechanism in cooperation with the Cyprus Police, which is activated in cases of child abduction and/or disappearance.
Staffing and collaborations inside and outside Cyprus
According to the executive director of HFC, the organization currently employs more than 110 professionals at its base in Cyprus, while it has branches in Hungary and the United States of America. In addition, it has representation through the CRC Policy Center's International Chair Network, with a presence in countries such as Denmark, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Nigeria and the USA. Mrs. Neocleous stressed that "the HFC develops active international action and collaborations with organizations in Cyprus and abroad, while maintaining close cooperation with all the competent ministries of the Republic of Cyprus and especially with the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare and the Social Welfare Services through which it receives state funding. At the same time, she added, a significant part of the operation and development of HFC services is co-financed through European resources, while the support the organization receives from private entities and corporate partners is significant."
