Subject: Mental health of children with special needs
Promoting the mental health of children with special needs is an important matter that is especially close to our heart. Such children face unique challenges when it comes to mental health and the focus on prevention, support and social inclusion of these children requires a concerted effort. In this context, the European Commission needs to take steps to further protect this vulnerable group of children and improve their psychosocial wellbeing.
In view of this:
1. What measures will the European Commission take to promote the mental health of children with special needs in order to promote their integration and social inclusion?
2. What action will it take in cooperation with Member States and civil society further to develop more effective policies and programmes that improve the mental health of children with special needs and promote equal opportunities for them?
Submitted:24.5.2023
Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
(4 September 2023)
The communication on a comprehensive approach on mental health (1) focuses on children and the youth, including those with special needs.
The Pathways to School Success initiative (2) aims to promote better educational outcomes for all learners and the well-being of learners and educators at school, including for pupils with disabilities and special needs, in line with the strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (3).
A dedicated expert group launched in March 2023 will develop proposals on strategies for creating supportive learning environments for groups at risk of underachievement and for supporting well-being at school, including for these children.
The European Child Guarantee (4) intends to mitigate the effects of poverty on children, addressing children with mental health issues. It contains recommendations on early detection of mental health issues. EU funding is available to support Member States to implement the European Child Guarantee.
As announced in the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, the Commission will present an initiative on Integrated Child Protection Systems. The Commission also invites Member States to identify children as a priority target group in their national mental health strategies (5).
Under the Victims’ Rights Directive (6), child victims have the right of support and protection, in accordance with their individual needs.
Under the Citizens Equality Rights and Value (CERV) programme, the 2023 Daphne call on combating violence against children, includes psychological support and strengthening integrated child protection systems (7).
One priority under 2024 CERV rights of the child call focuses on children’s mental healt h (8) and the rights of children with specific needs.
1 ∙ ⸱ https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/comprehensive-approach-mental-health_en
2 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022H1209%2801%29&qid=1671106078506
3 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A52021DC0101
4 ∙ ⸱ https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/rights-child/eu-strategy-rights-child-and-european-child-guarantee_en
5 ∙ ⸱ As announced in the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0142&from=EN
6 ∙ ⸱ Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of
victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 57 — 73. 7 ∙ ⸱ https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/departments-and-executive-agencies/justice-and-consumers/justice-and-consumers-funding-
tenders/funding-programmes/citizens-equality-rights-and-values-programme_en 8 ∙ ⸱ https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/9836eadf-980c-4e75-be3b-1e4c51334999_en?
filename=c_2022_8588_1_en_annexe_acte_autonome_cp_part1_v2.pdf