Parliamentary question - E-1444/2009Parliamentary question
E-1444/2009

Commission initiatives to help young people whose psychological problems are seriously disrupting their socialisation and education

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1444/09
by Roselyne Lefrançois (PSE)
to the Commission

Since 2005, the plight of children, adolescents and young adults whose psychological problems are seriously disrupting their socialisation and education has been attracting the attention of federations, organisations and services in several European countries, which have been brought together under the umbrella of the organisation ‘MèTIS Europe’. Providing assistance for these young people entails the use of medical, mental health, educational, academic, social and, sometimes, legal services. The cross-disciplinary nature of this process often leads to splits between the ministries and institutions responsible, with the result that it is very difficult to coordinate and target the efforts of the services attempting to care for these young people. The back-up needed to enable these young people to return to society and rediscover the ability to express themselves as individuals is thus disrupted and even compromised. As a result, social exclusion and personality disorders are magnified with a variety of different consequences, including mental health complaints, failure in education and employment, different kinds of addictions, suicidal behaviour, violence, withdrawal, rudeness, etc. At a time when the early onset and intensity of these psychological problems among young people is a matter of increasing concern, the necessary cooperation and interdisciplinary coordination between the relevant ministries and institutions needs to be organised so as to offer a future to these young people.

Bearing in mind that several Commission Directorates-General have responsibilities in this field (health, youth, education, social participation), what is the Commission doing to address this situation? What measures will it take to help these vulnerable young people?

OJ C 189, 13/07/2010