The need to strengthen the child mental health sector in Greece is documented in her report Initiative for the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents. It is a collaboration between him Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) in the framework of SNF International Health Initiativeof Child Mind Institute and of a nationwide network of mental health agencies in the public sector.

The report’s comprehensive analysis outlines its status mental health of children and adolescents in Greecefocusing on evidence-based interventions, as well as trainings and psychoeducational tools for parents, caregivers, educators and mental health professionals adapted to the cultural context of the country.

It also includes information on combating existing and deep-rooted stigma around mental health.

The research findings suggest that the Initiative should prioritize and address the critical need for greater mental health awareness and training, as well as a diverse, pluralistic approach to psychosocial interventions.

According to the Report:

  • The most common mental health conditions among young people surveyed include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, disruptive behaviour, depression and bullying.

  • Teachers unanimously point out that they lack training and support that would help them identify and manage their students’ mental health problems in the school context, as well as incidents of abuse and neglect.

  • Parents agree that stigma is an obstacle in Greek society, but they do not recognize their own stigmatizing attitude towards mental health issues.

  • The daily practice of 22% of the health professionals who participated in the research, includes the evaluation of cases of suspected child abuse and neglect.

Members of the Initiative’s Scientific Coordinating Committee stress that the need for evidence-based mental health care and support in the country is obvious, but not impossible to meet, and add: “Professionals working with children express great enthusiasm at the prospect of increasing access to quality resources. They also have a deep understanding of the complex systemic barriers to children and their families accessing mental health services. We hope this report will be the first step in achieving our mission to support and strengthen mental health in the public sector across the country.”

Additionally, to the extent that it offers information on the greatest mental health needs of children and adolescents in Greece, as well as extensive details regarding methodological approaches to secure this data, this analysis provides a model for designing programs that seek to be effective, meaningful and targeted to real needs.

The findings from the field analysis have been taken into account in the design of the Initiative’s trainings for professionals working with children across Greece. These are trainings that, together with guides with information on the most common mental health difficulties, will be available both online and in person from January 2024.