Since 2021, UNICEF Hungary has been giving top-priority attention to mental health
support for children, youth, and the adults around them. Thanks to the support
from the Biggeorge Foundation, we can ensure the continuation and professional
development of the following programs:
Mental Health Class Program
The mental health class offers free, interactive sessions for school-age children,
focusing specifically on their mental well-being. The 90-minute sessions address
children's right to mental well-being, the importance of maintaining mental health, the
early recognition of difficulties, and learning certain stress management techniques.
These sessions are conducted by school psychologists and health professionals for
children in grades 5 through 12. Since 2022, we have been able to contribute to the
improvement of the mental health of 4300 children.
UNICEF Hungary provides the training of mental health class trainers in both the capital
and rural areas. Future trainers (school psychologists) receive in-depth theoretical and
practical training during the 3+1 day course to ensure they can hold quality mental
health classes. Trainers participate in monthly case-study sessions after completing the
training, assisting in their professional development and the long-term success of the
program.
Further information:
https://unicef.hu/mentalis-egeszseg/lelki-egeszsegora
Supervision Program
For years, UNICEF Hungary has been offering free supervision for professionals working
with children who may particularly need it in their current situation. Through this
program, we provide free mental health counseling to child protection professionals,
those working in child welfare basic services, and teachers. Ensuring the healthy
psychological, cognitive, and social development of children requires that educational
and child protection institutions - where these children spend most of their days - have
patient, motivated, and professionally trained individuals to turn to. So far, we have
provided support to 508 mental health professionals working with children.
Further information:
https://unicef.hu/szupervizio-gyermekvedelemben-dolgozoknak
Development, and Promotion of E-learning Materials
We assist educators and parents with a free online course to help them recognize and, to
the extent possible, prevent serious mental health issues for the children they are
responsible for. The chapters include ideas, questionnaires, quizzes, and other
recommendations that are all easily applicable in practice. The videos accompanying the
chapters feature UNICEF Hungary’s experts answering professional questions related to
mental health.
Our free e-learning materials are accessible to every parent and teacher, including those
with low socioeconomic status, regardless of location and time. Our goal is to spread
our materials as widely as possible, so we plan on advertising e-learning courses for
parents and teachers on various platforms and promoting them with a larger campaign.
Further information:
https://unicef.hu/mentalis-egeszseg/e-learning-szuloknek
https://unicef.hu/mentalis-egeszseg/e-learning-pedagogusoknak
Support for Child Rights Conference
Every November, UNICEF Hungary organizes a child rights conference for parents and
professionals as part of World Children's Rights Day. In 2023, one of the main topics of
the conference was children's mental health. This conference provided solution-focused
approaches through lectures, discussions, and workshops to help participants recognize,
understand, and address complex situations and help children live happier, fuller lives.
Further information:
https://unicef.hu/gyermekjogi-konferencia-2023
We will continue our collaboration in 2024!
In 2024, alongside maintaining the supervision program and the mental health class
program at a high level of professionalism, as well as promoting e-learning materials,
we plan to conduct further research.
This year, we will conduct a scientific survey on the overall kindergarten and school
psychology service system in Hungary, which will provide us insights into the current
state of the network of kindergarten and school psychology, and the necessary
developments needed within it. Professionals providing kindergarten and school
psychology services are important gatekeepers, and the survey is essential because it
reaches every child within the education system and can further redirect the child
and/or the parent in case of a problem.
We thank you for the support!
