Research is underway on the mental health of minors in the time of Covid-19 promoted by theGuarantor authority for children and adolescents in collaboration with the Higher Institute of Health and the Ministry of Education. It's about the first scientific initiative on a national scale lasting three years with three intermediate steps which aims to offer an exhaustive and representative picture of the situation.
A sample epidemiological study is planned which will involve up to 7,500 minors divided into three age groups: 6-10, 11-13 and 14-18 years. An adequate representation of rural and urban schools in Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Campania and Sicily will be guaranteed. The scientific committee of the project took office this morning. The Ministry of Education is also involved in the control room.
The will be collected good practices tested for raising awareness among parents and the population as well as strategies for promoting mental health in schools. The final report will include the recommendations of the Guarantor Authority to the Government and other institutions to provide a response to a problem that presents worrying characteristics.
“They have arrived numerous warning signs regarding cases of discomfort, self-harm, unhealthy eating disorders, alcohol or drug addictions among minors, often coming from some of the main Italian child neuropsychiatry departments, which require in-depth analysis. This project aims to understand in a scientific way how widespread and profound the phenomenon is and to understand in general what can be done to deal with it effectively" observes the Authority for Children and Adolescents Carla Garlatti.
The Authority promotes the implementation of New York Convention and other international instruments regarding the promotion and protection of the rights of children and adolescents, the full application of the European and national legislation in force regarding the promotion of the protection of children and adolescents, as well as the rights of minors to be welcomed and educated as a priority in their own family and, if necessary, in another supportive or substitute family environment. It is a monocratic body, endowed with autonomous powers of organization and administrative independence and without constraints of hierarchical subordination.
From the website of the Authority for Children and Adolescents
