A pilot project offers schools support in dealing with psychological stress in children and young people. School practice and medical expertise are to be combined in order to provide targeted relief for school administrators and teachers, as announced by the Ministry of Education. Dresden University Hospital, the Saxon Hospital Arnsdorf, the Beisheim Foundation and the Ministry of Education are jointly implementing the project.
The focus is on the ability to better assess the mental health of pupils. Is intervention necessary and if so, in what form? Is treatment by an emergency doctor necessary? Can a paediatrician or family doctor help first or are there other suitable services?"
Mental health problems are more difficult to recognize
"If a child breaks a leg, the teacher knows relatively clearly what to do," said Minister of Education Conrad Clemens (CDU) at the presentation of the project. However, there is a certain overload in schools when it comes to dealing with mental health problems. At the same time, the mental health of children and young people has become an ever greater challenge, especially since the coronavirus pandemic.
Mental abnormalities and stress are more difficult for many to assess, added Veit Rößner, Clinic Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Dresden University Hospital. "Is someone just dieting or just having a growth spurt and getting a little thinner, or is it already an eating disorder?" The aim is to provide certainty in the assessment.
Pilot project in Dresden and Bautzen from next school year
The project will start in Dresden and the district of Bautzen in the 2026/2027 school year, but the services will be available throughout Saxony once it has been successfully completed.
The project is divided into three modules. The core element is the so-called procedural navigator, which serves as a guide and clearly shows which steps are necessary in which situations. The navigator will be permanently available online and can also be accessed by professionals and parents.
In the "knowledge base" module, school administrators can take part in courses on psychological first aid. These courses originated in Australia, where 50,000 people have already been trained, as Ulf Matysiak, Managing Director of the Beisheim Foundation, explained. The aim is to impart orientation knowledge and bring more people into the school system who feel confident in dealing with the subject. Using specific case studies, the final module, the "Transfer Workshop", will then be used to practise how to act in the company of medical professionals.
The Beisheim Foundation is initially providing 400,000 euros for implementation. The amount will be adjusted depending on demand and interest in the training courses. A duration of two and a half years is planned.
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