From Endings to Beginnings
The three-year Let’s Talk about Children project is now nearing its conclusion. It is time to thank and acknowledge the impactful work done together for the mental health of children, young people and families.
In the final seminar in Brussels, we heard powerful insights—from policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and people with lived experience. Together, they painted a clear picture for us: the mental health of children and young people is not a marginal issue. It is a cornerstone of Europe’s social well-being, economic resilience, and collective future.
What we heard throughout the seminar was that early support matters. Family well-being matters. And strong, connected service systems matter. The Let’s Talk about Children work is a reminder that mental health work does not have to be complex to be impactful. Sometimes the most transformative steps begin with simple, structured conversations—ones that invite understanding, reduce stigma, and allow families to identify their strengths.
Across the past three years, our partner countries have shown what can happen when this method is embedded with intention: teachers gain confidence, healthcare workers gain tools, families gain support, and children gain opportunities to thrive. We also heard about the challenges—because genuine system change is never effortless. It requires commitment, resourcing, training, and above all, a shared belief that children’s mental health deserves to be prioritised in every sector.
The final seminar’s policy discussions made one thing very clear: sustaining these benefits is not just about scaling a method but about strengthening the environments in which children grow. This means aligning education, health, and social services; embedding preventive mental health practices into policy frameworks and ensuring that professionals have the support they need to continue this work.
But beyond systems and structures, we also owe something to the children and young people themselves. We owe them societies where asking for help is safe. Where adults notice when something is not quite right. Where well-being is not an afterthought but a shared responsibility.
This is why cooperation across Europe is so crucial. No country can address the mental health needs of children and families alone. But together—through shared evidence, common tools, and joint commitment—we can build a Europe where every child has a fair chance for a healthy future.
As we close, I want to express my gratitude once more to all partners: for your expertise, your dedication, and your willingness to engage in this important work.
Let us conclude this project encouraged by the progress we have made, inspired by the stories we have heard, and motivated by the work that still lies ahead. The well-being of children and young people is one of the most meaningful investments Europe can make. And the work you are doing—each of you—is helping to shape that future.
Satu Raappana
Director, Children and Youth, MIELI Mental Health Finland
This text draws on Satu Raappana’s closing remarks at the final seminar.
