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Background: The mental health of school-age children is of growing concern in many countries. School professionals require the competences and methods to intervene effectively to promote mental health in schools. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe school professionals' perceptions of the competences needed and effective methods to promote mental health in primary schools. Design and setting: Qualitative study conducted in five European countries. Method: Multidisciplinary focus group interviews were conducted with teachers, school nurses, psychologists and social workers in Greece (n = 2), Lithuania (n = 3), Slovenia (n = 2), Bulgaria (n = 2) and Finland (n = 2). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Competences perceived as required for mental health promotion in primary schools were related to (1) knowledge of child development and mental health among primary school age children, (2) skills such as communication and empathy and (3) teachers' self perception as health promoters. Insufficient attention is currently given to the development of these competences in basic teacher education and ongoing professional development. Providing a safe and inclusive school environment for children and families, early intervention and the use of structured models of support were viewed as effective approaches to use. Digital tools, online materials, and online support were seen as having a valuable role to play in children's mental health promotion. Conclusion: School professionals require multiple competences to undertake mental health promotion in primary schools. The development of these competences is best supported by basic and ongoing education. Teachers, school nurses, psychologists and social workers see mixed methods as likely to be most effective in promoting mental health in primary schools.

Daytime sleepiness and different symptoms are common problems affecting health and well-being of schoolchildren. This population-based cohort study included 568 children who were followed from ages 10 to 15 years. Daytime sleepiness, headache, abdominal pain, and psychological symptoms (depression, irritability or bad temper, nervousness, anxiety, and dejection) were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. The prevalence of frequent daytime sleepiness was 13% at the ages of 10 and 12 years and increased significantly up to 24% at the age of 15 (p < 0.0001). Daytime sleepiness as well as psychological symptoms were positively associated with headache and abdominal pain from ages 10 to 15 years. Headache in girls at the ages of 10 predicted the occurrence of headache at the age of 15. School nurses and other professionals need to understand the importance of a holistic evaluation of sleep and different symptoms in children. There is also a need for interventions targeting several co-occurring symptoms.

Background: The basis of self-perceived physical competence is built in childhood and school personnel have an important role in this developmental process. We investigated the association between initial self-perceived physical competence and reported leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) longitudinally in 10-, 12-, and 15-year-old children. Methods: This longitudinal follow-up study comprises pupils from an elementary school cohort (N = 1346) in the city of Turku, Finland (175,000 inhabitants). The self-perceived physical competence (fitness and appearance) and LTPA data were collected with questionnaires. The full longitudinal data were available from 571 pupils based on repeated studies at the ages of 10, 12, and 15 years in 2004, 2006, and 2010. We analyzed the association of self-perceived physical competence and LTPA using regression models. Results: Self-perceived physical competence was positively associated with LTPA at all ages (10 years p < 0.05, 12 years p < 0.0001, 15 years p < 0.0001). Increase in the self-perceived physical fitness scores was likely to associate with higher LTPA at each age point (10 years [odds ratio, OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.09-1.27; 12 years [OR] = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.18-1.37; and 15 years [OR] = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.19-1.38). Conclusions: Self-perceived physical competence is associated with LTPA in children and adolescents, and the association is strengthened with age.

Aims and objectives: First, to describe the variation in stakeholders' perceptions related to the desirable mental health services in school environments. Second, to construct alternative future visions based on these perceptions. Finally, to describe stakeholders' perceptions about the actions needed to reach such an ideal state. Background: The increased need for mental health care has challenged the role of schools and school health care in the area of mental health services for those of school‐age. There is a need for future visions and comprehensive statements concerning the mental health services provided in the school environment. Design: The study was undertaken in Finland, between February 2020 and February 2021. Qualitative individual interviews were conducted with 15 professional stakeholders and focus group interviews with 10 stakeholders advocating for adolescents or parents. Method: The study was conducted with the phenomenographic approach using a visioning methodology. The study is reported following the COREQ checklist. Result: Four alternative future visions were formulated based on the perceptions of the stakeholders. They emphasised different aspects: (1) non‐medicalising the school environment, (2) early and extensive intervention by school nurses enabled by work distribution with mental health specialists, (3) a multiprofessional team providing help on overall health questions and (4) a focusing of the services on mental disorders. Necessary changes were identified at the micro‐, mezzo‐ and macro‐level. Conclusion: The future visions are based on opposite perceptions related to the mission and focus of school health care. One extreme emphasises overall health promotion for everyone, while the other accentuates treatment for those suffering from mental disorders. The former may lead to inadequate help for mental health problems and the latter insufficient help for other health problems. Relevance to clinical practice: This study contributes alternative future visions, promotes strategic planning and helps to clarify the future role of school nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study examines the amount of sleep and daytime sleepiness, and how these change in a follow‐up cohort study of school‐aged children. Methods: A total of 1351 schoolchildren (aged 10) and their parents were invited to participate in the study and were studied again at ages 12 and 15 years. A survey put forth by the Health Behaviour of Schoolchildren research network was used. Results: The amount of sleep during weekdays dropped significantly from age 10 to 15. At weekends, the amount of sleep increased significantly. During weekdays, the proportion of children reporting having slept enough dropped from 71% at age 10 to 19% at age 15. Frequent daytime sleepiness occurred in 13% of children at age 10 and increased to 24% at the age of 15. Conclusions: It is essential to promote adequate amount of sleep and prevent daytime sleepiness in children growing from age 10 to 15 years. Nurses and other health care professionals should systematically assess and promote healthy sleeping habits while caring for children between these ages. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? Sufficient sleep is essential for the healthy development of school‐aged childrenThe amount of sleep drops between ages 10 and 15 years What this paper adds? Daytime sleepiness increases significantly between ages 10 and 15 years, and girls reported more frequent daytime sleepiness compared with boys.The amount of sleep drops more in girls compared with boys between the ages 10 and 15 yearsParents reported their children to sleep more compared with the children themselves The implications of this paper: Daytime sleepiness and amount of sleep should be systematically assessed by nurses and other health care professionals.Gender and age specific differences should be considered when promoting healthy sleep.Future research should focus on developing effective, youth‐driven interventions to promote healthy sleep and prevent daytime sleepiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing need for support and the fragmented nature of the service system challenge us to develop services for children and their families. Child and family services are provided by the public, private and third sectors, which according to research have little or no reciprocal co-operation. The review produced information on co-operation interventions used by service providers in the field of health care, social care and education. The current evidence base is too heterogeneous and sparse to draw conclusions on the overall effectiveness of interventions to co-operation. Further high quality studies examining the effectiveness of co-operation interventions are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing need for support and the fragmented nature of the service system challenge us to develop services for children and their families. Child and family services are provided by the public, private and third sectors, which according to research have little or no reciprocal co-operation. The review produced information on co-operation interventions used by service providers in the field of health care, social care and education. The current evidence base is too heterogeneous and sparse to draw conclusions on the overall effectiveness of interventions to co-operation. Further high quality studies examining the effectiveness of co-operation interventions are required.