An increasing number of children are referred for assessment, diagnosed and referred for special services and/or treatment. Often this is because parents and/or professionals see that the child is not thriving, e.g. in daycare, school and with peers.

However, this poor well-being can also be associated with and reinforced by other conditions in the child's life, such as the child's upbringing and living conditions, family conditions and day-to-day life, insecurity and lacking a sense of belonging in school and leisure life.

In addition, assessment and referral are associated with long waiting times where the child's poor well-being can be amplified in day-to-day life, for example, because the child is isolated and excluded from daycare, school and leisure activities, and where the family is burdened.

Therefore, it is important, as well as challenging, to prevent poor well-being and improve children's physical, mental and social well-being in their everyday life and environment before, during and after assessment, while also ensuring that children with needs have timely access to special services and/or treatment.

We need to develop knowledge and the capacity to solve this challenge through collaboration with children, families and networks, professionals in and across daycare institutions, schools, the social and health sectors, etc., local and civil society actors and companies.  

SUB-GOALS

• To improve children's well-being in their day-to-day life and upbringing environment before, during and after assessment for diagnoses and the need for special services and treatment
• To reduce waiting times for assessment and ensure timely access to special services and/or treatment for children with needs
• To reduce isolation and exclusion from daycare, school and leisure activities for children