Cultural Adaptation of the ABCD Paradigm in Greece: Methodological Framework

This chapter presents a methodological framework for the cultural adaptation of the Adult Protective Capacities, Harmful Behaviors, Child Vulnerabilities, and Dangerous Conditions (ABCD Paradigm) within the Greek child protection context. Originally developed in the United States to strengthen child abuse and neglect assessments, the ABCD Paradigm offers a framework for child safety that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, integrates family strengths alongside challenges, foregrounds child vulnerability, and supports critical thinking in the decision-making process. The ABCD Paradigm is primarily designed for frontline professionals with statutory authority to assess children’s safety; however, its effective implementation requires engagement and training across the entire system; including service staff, administrators, and community stakeholders, ensuring a shared language, consistent practice standards, and responses across the child protection ecosystem. While the Paradigm has demonstrated value in its original context, it cannot be directly transferred to Greece due to cultural and socioeconomic differences, service structures, professional roles, and interagency collaboration practices. Therefore meaningful implementation requires cultural adaptation rather than procedural replication. This chapter presents the methodological framework used for the cultural adaptation of the ABCD Paradigm to the Greek context. The chapter concludes with directions for refinement and integration into national social work policy, with particular emphasis on legislative alignment and the establishment of workforce training standards. It further addresses the need for strengthened interagency coordination mechanisms and culturally responsive practices to support consistent frontline decision-making. Finally, it highlights the development of monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure accountable, ethically grounded, rights-based, and sustainable child safety practice.