We are immensely proud to share some key takeaways from yesterday’s dynamic conference “Pathway to Presidency – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry”, which we, as an Institute for Social Policy Development (IRSS) co-organized with the Medical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw (WUM)

The event brought together top experts in the field, including Warsaw Medical University’s Rector, the Director of the Department of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, relevant representatives of the National Health Fund, as well as leading psychiatric care specialists from major medical centers all over Poland.

As organizers, we are pleased to have engaged such a wide range of specialists in the discussion about the mental health of the younger generation. The conference marks the beginning of a series of three events leading up to Poland’s Presidency of the EU Council in 2025. During the meeting, alarming data was presented—only 6 out of 10 children consider their lives to be joyful. These figures clearly indicate that we cannot delay action. Experts unanimously emphasize that the pandemic has significantly deepened the mental health issues facing children and adolescents. Our meeting fits into a broader European context—we continue the direction set by previous EU presidencies, particularly the Spanish one, which focused on youth mental health, and the Belgian presidency, which concentrated on mental health in the workplace.

Poland will take over the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025. Today’s discussions are the first step in building the foundations for future Europe-wide initiatives on mental health. The presence of representatives from health care, education, social services, and government administration underscores a comprehensive approach to these challenges. It is worth recalling that Poland’s presidency in 2011 was recognized as the most effective since the Lisbon Treaty came into force. This is a positive omen as Poland prepares to take the helm of the EU Council again.

In the coming months, we will organize two more conferences dedicated to digitalization in health care and prevention. We invite you to follow our activities focused on preparations for the EU Council presidency. There is still much work ahead of us, but we are determined to ensure that youth mental health remains a key topic in European political debates.