Οften, the profile of a person with a disability is formed on the basis of medical terms, stereotypes and generalisations, creating a large gap between the individual and society, instead of each person being perceived – regardless of the existence or not of an impairment – as an integral and equal member of society.

Until today, in Greece is no exact number of infants, children, adults and elderly people, with or without disabilities, living in institutional care, whether public, private or ecclesiastical.

According to the estimate of the Ombudsman for Children, in 2015, in Greece approximately 3,000 children are accommodated in child protection institutions, 1,000 of which are in public institutions and the remaining 2,000 in private institutions (shelters and accommodation institutions belonging to charitable associations or associations, church institutions, etc.). Most of them are housed in large, old buildings, far from the urban center and life. The procedures for licensing, certification, supervision and control of the institutions are seriously deficient.

Nowadays, in developed European countries, traditional child protection institutions have been abolished and replaced by small family-type units or therapeutically oriented units for children and adolescents with emotional or behavioural difficulties or disabilities.

In contrast, in Greece institutionalisation and separation from the family of children, adults and elderly people, with and without disabilities is usually the first and only solution considered. The majority of these institutions operate on the basis of an ‘immune’ old model, resulting in constant violations of the human rights of the inhabitants.

Tandem is improving the quality of life of people living in closed institutions. It still remains one of our goals, although it has become clear that this effort has very narrow limits and requires a total reconfiguration of the services provided – by abolishing the institutions and their culture and developing community services and alternative forms of housing and care.

Tandem is improving the quality of life of people living in closed institutions. It still remains one of our goals, although it has become clear that this effort has very narrow limits and requires a total reconfiguration of the services provided – by abolishing the institutions and their culture and developing community services and alternative forms of housing and care.