Mental health of children and adolescents in Poland ‒ challenges and recommendations

Introduction: Protecting the mental health of the young generation is an investment in the future of society. Providing children and youth with appropriate conditions for development is an important factor determining their health in later stages of life. Problems in the area of mental health make it difficult for children to perform developmental tasks and have long-term consequences, as they increase the risk of developing mental disorders in adulthood. Many children and young people in Poland struggle with mental problems alone or with insufficient help. Access to specialist psychiatric, psychological and therapeutic care in Poland is still limited. For this reason, the system of mental health care for children and adolescents requires urgent action and changes. The goal of the article is to analyze current problems in the area of mental health of the young generation, to estimate the scale of these problems, to discuss selected risk factors and protective factors, and to formulate recommendations for actions to improve the mental health of children and adolescents in Poland. Conclusions: It is recommended to take actions aimed not only at minimizing mental health risk factors, but also at strengthening and building resources conducive to improving and maintaining good mental health.