Children’s Mental Health: National Eurochild Forums upcoming consultations

Eurochild collaborates closely with National Eurochild Forums (NEFs) to amplify children’s voices across Europe. This year, Eurochild will prioritize children's mental health in its upcoming report, informed by consultations with children from NEFs.

The NEFs unite children from various regions of Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia and Malta enabling them to actively engage in national and European decision-making processes. Guided by principles of empowerment, advocacy, and respect for children’s opinions, NEFs play a crucial role in gathering insights that inform Eurochild’s advocacy efforts. This collaboration ensures that all children in Europe despite language and geographical barriers have a seat at the table when policies impacting their well-being are discussed.

The 2023 Report: "Poverty Takes Away the Right to Childhood"

Last year, Eurochild released the impactful report “Poverty Takes Away the Right to Childhood” heavily informed by input from NEFs. The report highlighted the stark realities faced by children living in poverty, emphasizing that such conditions strip away the joy and opportunities that childhood should offer. It served as a call to action for European governments to address child poverty as a critical human rights issue.

NEFs provided valuable insights into how poverty affects children daily, from inadequate access to education and healthcare to the emotional distress stemming from financial instability. The children involved in NEFs were instrumental in identifying the connections between poverty and various challenges, including mental health struggles, lack of social mobility, and exclusion from cultural and leisure activities. Their voices significantly shaped the report's recommendations, urging policymakers to prioritize child welfare and take decisive actions to combat poverty across Europe.

The Upcoming 2024 Report: Focusing on Children’s Mental Health

This year, Eurochild will prioritize children's mental health in its upcoming report, informed by consultations with children from NEFs. This focus reflects the emphasis on mental health as a major concern highlighted in the “Our Rights. Our Future. The Europe We Want” report.

The consultations planned for the end of the year will directly engage children to explore their mental health and wellbeing challenges and needs. Questionnaires will be also utilized to capture a diverse range of experiences and perspectives, ensuring that the voices of children remain at the hearth of the report.

The insights gathered will serve as a foundation for advocating improved mental health support systems while also providing insights for adults—such as parents and teachers—on how to better understand and respond to children’s mental health needs.

Stay tuned for Eurochild's updates as we bring this report to life and work towards improving mental health support for children across Europe.

Want to know more? Contact Laure Pailleau, Eurochild Child Participation Officer, and Isabella Cervino, Eurochild Child Participation and Events Intern.