Pristina, November 18, 2024 – The Ombudsperson’s Institution held a round table discussion regarding the mental health of children, presenting the preliminary findings of the report on the responsibilities of the state in relation to the protection of children.

Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj said that the Constitution and the legal framework of the Republic of Kosovo have clearly defined the obligations and responsibilities of the state in relation to the rights of children and the obligation to protect these rights.

Highlighting some of the findings, the Ombudsperson said that there is a lack of systematic mechanisms for the early identification of children facing mental health challenges and the limitation of access to specialized psychological support in primary and secondary care.

The Ombudsperson also emphasized the need for a greater number of psychologists in schools. He said that the small number of psychologists in schools is a result of the legal framework itself and the definition of psychologists in schools based on the number of pupils, that often a large number of children remain without the involvement of this care.

Mr. Qelaj said that the stigma and negative perception of psychological services remain as a barrier to seeking psychological help.

Participants coming from different departments and profiles that mainly work with children contributed to the discussion adding, among other things, that it is necessary to work more on the early identification of problems in children.

Also at the table, it was emphasized the need to work more on raising awareness among parents regarding stigma, to work on more dignified treatment, and that municipalities should increase resources when talking about mental health.