Act for mental health

Act for mental health

Resources to provide professional support for the mental health management of children and young people in our socio-educational centers.

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Infants jugant amb fulles al jardí de Santa Maria del Roure

Origin of the campaign

The Actua for Mental Health campaign is born out of the need to address a reality increasingly present in our socioeducational centers: the rise in emotional distress and mental health problems among children, adolescents, and their families in vulnerable contexts. The study we conducted in 2024, commissioned by the Network of Socioeducational Centers (XaCS), stems from a growing concern about the impact that poverty, family instability, migration, housing precarity, and lack of resources have on child and adolescent mental health. It also notes that, after the pandemic, this situation has worsened and become more apparent in the centers. 

Impact

The campaign puts at the center an issue that directly affects the well-being, development, and future opportunities of children and young people. The report shows that mental health cannot be detached from the social context: poverty, economic insecurity, housing difficulties, migration history, violence, and lack of specialized support increase the risk of emotional problems and mental health disorders. This impact is not only seen in children and adolescents, but also in their families and the educational teams that support them. Furthermore, socio-educational centers are emerging as a key space for early detection, accompaniment, and support, especially where other resources arrive late or do not reach them. 

Methodology

The study was carried out using a mixed methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative data to obtain a broad and rigorous view of the situation. The research included questionnaires addressed to socioeducational centers, semi-structured interviews with professionals, and focus groups with educational teams and management staff. In total, 19 socioeducational centers participated and information was collected on 1,239 children and young people. Specifically, responses were received from 16 centers via questionnaires, 12 interviews with professionals were conducted, and two focus groups were held. This triangulation of methods allowed for the analysis of both objective data and the daily experience of frontline teams. 

Result

The results confirmed a worrying situation. The study concluded that 14.1% of the children and young people served at the centers have an official diagnosis related to mental health, learning, or behavioral disorders, and that an additional 15.7% exhibit indicators suggesting they may need specialized care, even though they do not yet have a formal clinical diagnosis. It also highlights that problems are appearing at increasingly earlier ages and that social vulnerability factors play a decisive role. Among the children diagnosed, learning disorders are significant, but conduct disorders, anxiety, and other emotional difficulties are also detected. In light of this reality, the report highlights the need to strengthen centers with more psychology professionals, more training, greater coordination with external services, and more resources to support children and families. 

  • Currently, two psychologists have been able to be incorporated into two of the largest centers in the Poblenou and Poble-sec neighborhoods, which has greatly helped in the detection and treatment of the most extreme cases. In addition, it has greatly helped the center's dynamics and the direct care teams, as well as the families. In mental health, anticipation is a key factor that prevents worse outcomes.