Accessible school for all

‘Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Working Together for the Best Solutions’ is an inter-ministerial conference attended by various distinguished individuals, including Dr. Rashed Mustafa – National Coordinator of the UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland; Mark Brzeziński – US Ambassador to Poland; Barbara Nowacka – Minister of Education; Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk – Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Policy; Wojciech Konieczny – Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health; Marcin Wiącek – Ombudsman; Deputy Ministers of Education; parliamentarians, academics, doctors, and representatives of NGOs.

The discussions conducted in small groups of participants by IBE experts focused on solutions for the systemic support of mental health of children and adolescents, as well as proposals for addressing identified barriers and difficulties in implementing recommendations in four areas of concern for the mental health of children and adolescents:

1.   mental health promotion;

2.   prevention;

3.   assistance in a crisis;

4.   assistance in recovery.

The activities carried out by the ASA project fit into these areas. During the panel, the project representatives presented the most important tasks supporting the work to protect the mental health of children, students, parents, and teachers.

Project leader Beata Papuda-Dolińska, PhD, highlighted the important role of specialist teachers in responding to student crises: “[…] support must always be initiated at the school level in the event of an educational, social, or functional problem, particularly if its origin is psychological or if it results from a mental health disorder.”

In the ASA project, the group of specialist teachers are the primary beneficiaries of support in the form of professional development training. One of the training programs covers topics such as procedures for addressing social dysfunction, experiences of severe anxiety, trauma, and suicide attempts – procedures that are likely to be implemented in school practice.

Another type of psychosocial support that is organized as part of the project is free and anonymous consultations for parents, teachers, and adult learners with specialist psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and psychologists.

The speaker also mentioned activities planned in the area of psychosocial support and mental health, such as materials and workshops on psychological first aid, packages and tools aimed at kindergartens, and guides for principals.

Tomasz Rowiński, PhD, an expert in the project, discussed intervention activities that consider a cross-sectoral perspective. He justified the selection of interventions by stating that they address the most common issues faced by children, parents, and schools.

“From the perspective of children and adolescents’ mental health, strengthening parents is crucial and will always be the most significant factor. These interventions involve cooperation after a difficult event has occurred.”

During the discussion part of the project, participants worked in teams coordinated by IBE experts. These teams consisted of representatives from various institutions, including doctors, teachers, psychologists, and specialists in health care, prevention, and psychoeducation. They analyzed recommendations for the protection of children and adolescents’ mental health from various projects conducted in previous years. They identified challenges and made recommendations for their implementation. Improving institutional and inter-ministerial cooperation, as well as cooperation and communication at the level of schools, educational authorities, local authorities, and local protection units, was identified as a key area for action.

When discussing the results of the discussion, Anna Błaszczak, PhD, an expert from the ASA project, emphasized the need identified in the team she coordinated to strengthen the educational role of the school as the foundation for prevention. The importance of supporting teachers in preserving their well-being, as well as enhancing their classroom management skills and fostering a supportive school climate, was acknowledged. Furthermore, there was an emphasis on the necessity for systemic changes in the approach of decision-makers to the role of schools and the development of a narrative in school management where the care for students becomes a significant factor.