European Conference «Violence and Mental Health Promotion of Children and Young People»

1. As specified in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child we stress that the child is a subject with full rights and that the child must be a priority in the policies promoted by the Member States in the European Union.

2. The promotion of the mental health of children and youth implies a transversal approach and a networked intervention process.

3. The European Union should promote a Forum for debates in which the relevant professionals may exchange experiences and create innovative practices.

4. We propose the setting up of an European Observatory of the Child with the objective of promoting mental health of child and youth. The task of the Observatory would be: - analysis of the practises/situations in all Member States;
- identification of a common framework for the basic conditions necessary for the promotion of mental health;
- contribute to drawing up an European strategy for mental health promotion.

5. Define a minimum set of mental health services for children and young people.

6. Inclusion of mental health promotion module in initial training of all relevant practitioners and on-going in-service training to update skills in the area of Mental Health Promotion.

7. Inclusion of the area of Mental Health Promotion in all levels of education.

European Conference Workshops Recommendations «Violence and Mental Health Promotion of Children and Young People»

Workshop "Children with violent behaviour"
- NETWORKING: based on the existing services
- EVALUATION: any promotion programme has to include an evaluation component
- TRAINING / SUPERVISION

Workshop "Risk Maternities and Promotion of Mental Health"
- HOME VISITS: home visits in risk maternities
- SOCIAL VALUE: Improving the social value of maternity
- SUPPORT: psychological and social support for parents during maternity and infancy
- FACILITIES AND SERVICES: improve provision in quality and number

Workshop "Violence in the family"
Multidisciplinary teams for case assessment and setting up of an action plan for protecting the child and support the family

Workshop "Sexual Abuse"
Good child protection system:
- use civil law to protect the child
- multi-disciplinary systems: diagnosis management and treatment
- proper training of all professionals involved
- treatment facilities and training for those who provide it
- guidelines for intervention in case of suspicion of children sexual abuse
Prevention:
- primary prevention in schools
- training on different of abuse and their sequalae

Workshop "Life Conditions and Children Mental Health"
- The promotion of Children Mental Health should start before birth
- Quality Family day care
- Support to parenthood
- Support to families with handicapped children
- Cultural and lucid activities after school time

Workshop "Violence: boys vs girls"
- More research needed
- Attention to be paid to self-aggressive behaviour, such as anorexia
- Training of staff

Workshop "Safety in Schools"
1. Safety in schools is a responsibility of the whole society. Schools should co-operate with the community in order to develop social competencies with the goal of prevent violent attitudes and behaviours.
2. Prevention and intervention must be adapted to the specificity's of each situation, while adopting a multi-disciplinary approach
3. Training should be provided for educational staff.

Workshop "Social infrastructure - Gangs Minorities"
- Need to work with the youngsters and not for the youngsters.
- Need for a public policy
- Focus on "street children"

Workshop "Violence and Communication"
- Reinforcement of the educational role of the media in the promotion of a non-violent society
- Parents' education on media usage
- Ethics and control of exposing children at risk in the media
- Initial and in-service teacher training
- Communication media
- Working in groups
- Conflict management

Workshop "Mental Health Promotion in Schools"
- Specific training to the paediatricians and other medical areas related with the health and wellbeing of the child regarding the recognition of suffering symptoms.
- Definition of pedagogic practices in the classrooms with objective of promoting an active pedagogy, a meaningful learning and the empowerment of teachers and students and a share of management.
- High education recommendation:
- implementation of the isomorphism of theory and practice in the teacher training process
- To give priority to the institutional changes regarding promotion of mental health and the wellbeing of the children.