16/03/2016 - Submitted by: Tilia Bousios

With more than half of the mental disorders of young people surfacing before the age of 25, it is essential to provide appropriate support and care at a sufficient early stage. Although the number and quality of the support services offered has considerably increased and improved, the overall share of young people opting to seek help from these channels is struggling to meet the existing offer.

This timely international symposium provides an invaluable opportunity to evaluate the current state of mental health policies for young people at EU level and to discover best practices in the field of prevention and early intervention. It will address innovative approaches to support young people’s mental health in both family and school settings, while also focusing on the action of health services in the promotion of mental well-being. This symposium will also address the role of new technologies and social media as a double-edged instrument in the hands of children and young adolescents.

Delegates will also:

• Evaluate the current state of mental health among young people in the European Union
• Explore innovative approaches to promote the role of schools in the early prevention of mental and behavioural disorders
• Promote cross-sector cooperation to effectively reach young people in their daily environment while involving them actively
• Assess the accessibility of the existing support services by young people and determine ways to bridge the current gap in the transition from youth to adult mental care
• Discuss the role of technology and social media as a double-edged instrument: risks and solutions