Toolkit guide
Topic
Promising practice - digital/game-based, anxiety-focused, scalable.
Tools & Frameworks
Good practice
Language
EN
Use it to…
Use it to help identify, adapt, and apply effective solutions for engaging digital self-help tools for childhood anxiety.
Where to look in this resource
The whole document is relevant - it summarises the main characteristics of the practice.
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Lumi Nova
Area
2.2
Description

A therapeutic mobile game (digital intervention) that helps children manage fears and anxiety using evidence-based techniques delivered through gameplay.

Brief description
Therapeutic mobile game for childhood anxiety (UK).
Country
UK 
Keywords
game-based, anxiety, digital, scalable, subclinical care
Resource Title
Lumi Nova
Topic
Innovative practice (*) - digital, research-stage, universal prevention.
Tools & Frameworks
Innovative practice
Language
EN
Use it to…
Use it to help identify, adapt, and apply effective solutions for innovative digital interventions in youth mental health.
Where to look in this resource
The whole document is relevant - it summarises the main characteristics of the practice.
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Project Care UK *
Area
2.2
Description

A digital mental health intervention for young people, documented in peer-reviewed research, addressing prevention/early support through an online format.

Brief description
Digital mental health intervention (UK).
Country
UK
Keywords
digital, research-stage, universal prevention, innovative practice
Resource Title
Project Care UK *
Topic
Innovative practice (*) - widely adopted multilingual digital tool; evaluation limited.
Tools & Frameworks
Innovative practice
Language
EN
Use it to…
Use it to help identify, adapt, and apply effective solutions for scalable digital self-help tools for young people.
Where to look in this resource
The whole document is relevant - it summarises the main characteristics of the practice.
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Nepanikar *
Area
2.2
Description

An app-based tool developed in the Czech Republic, designed primarily for young people, offering support across anxiety, eating disorders and crisis situations, plus courses and training on prevention and crisis intervention. It is available in 18 languages and adopted across several European countries.

Brief description
Mental health self-help app for young people (Czechia).
Country
Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Italia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia 
Keywords
multilingual, digital tool, widely adopted, evaluation limited
Resource Title
Nepanikar *
Tools & Frameworks
European Commission Reccomendations
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: EU
Use it to…
to situate national mental health strategies within a broader, multi-sector child-protection coordination framework (public authorities, professionals, families, communities).
Where to look in this resource
The section on "protecting children's integrity and mental health and helping prevent and fight (cyber)bullying," plus the general coordination/governance provisions on integrating services across sectors and authority levels.
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82-Child prot
Year
2024
Area
2.1
Description

The Recommendation aims at supporting Member States to develop and strengthen their child protection systems according to children's needs and in their best interests, encouraging coordination among authorities at different levels, professionals across sectors, and international and civil society organizations. It advocates prioritizing children in decision-making processes, establishing comprehensive national plans to end violence against children, enhancing coordination and cooperation among sectors and authorities, and addressing safety concerns both online and offline, as well as promoting children's mental health and preventing bullying. Specifically on mental health, it encourages Member States to develop national mental health strategies with children as the priority target group, alongside efforts to prevent and fight (cyber)bullying. 

Brief description
A 2024 European Commission Recommendation that aims to bring together all EU actions to protect children from violence by supporting Member States in developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems designed around children's needs and best interests.
Country
EUROPE
Keywords
child protection, prioritizing children, violence against children, safety online, bullying.
Resource Title
Commission Recommendation on integrated child protection systems
Tools & Frameworks
EU policy framework
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: EU
Use it to…
to anchor for mental health promotion for children with high-level EU policy, since it explicitly names mental health and psychosocial support as a priority and calls for cross-sector networks (families, schools, youth services). Good for framing a mental health initiative as aligned with a recognized EU strategic priority.
Where to look in this resource
Thematic area 2 ("Socio-economic inclusion, health and education") is the most directly relevant, plus the specific health/mental-health action points (building networks with families, schools, and youth on mental health; actions on child and adolescent health including mental health and psychosocial support).
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81_rightsofthechild_cover
Year
2021
Area
2.1
Description

The strategy tackles six thematic areas and proposes a series of targeted actions across each, defining EU priorities for the coming years, mainstreamed across all relevant EU policies. On child protection specifically, the EU commits to addressing all types of violence against children as well as providing mental health and psychosocial support. Concrete actions include building networks with families, schools, youth, and other stakeholders and institutions involved in mental health, and calling for actions on newborn, child and adolescent health, including mental health and psychosocial support. 

Brief description
A comprehensive 2021 EU policy framework covering six thematic areas for children's rights, including socio-economic inclusion, health and education, developed with substantial input from children themselves.
Country
EUROPE
Keywords
EU priorities, child protection, violence, mental health and psychosocial support, families, schools, youth
Resource Title
EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child  
Tools & Frameworks
Council Recommendations
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: EU
Use it to…
to frame mental health interventions within a broader poverty/social-exclusion and equal-opportunities agenda, and for anchoring national action plans to an existing EU reporting mechanism.
Where to look in this resource
The core objective/scope section (defining "children in need" and the key services covered) and the healthcare-access provisions specifically - mental health isn't singled out here, so this document is more useful as a policy anchor/framing tool than as substantive mental health guidance.
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80_ECG
Area
2.1
Description

The European Child Guarantee aims to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing access of children in need to a set of key services, thereby also contributing to upholding the rights of the child by combating child poverty and fostering equal opportunities. Member States are recommended to guarantee effective and free access to four services — high-quality early childhood education and care, education and school-based activities, at least one healthy meal each school day, and healthcare — plus effective access to healthy nutrition and adequate housing. Member States were asked to submit national action plans, covering the period until 2030, describing existing and planned policy measures to improve access for children in need.

Brief description
Council Recommendations that aim to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing children in need access to a set of key services, thereby helping to combat child poverty and foster equal opportunities. 
Country
EUROPE
Keywords
child protection, EU policy framework, MHPSS, access to healthcare, violence prevention
Resource Title
European Child Guarantee
Source
European Commission, 2023
Topic
Innovative practice (*) - digital MHPSS, migrant/refugee priority.
Tools & Frameworks
Innovative practice
Language
EN
Use it to…
Use it to help identify, adapt, and apply effective solutions for digital mental health and psychosocial support for migrant and refugee children.
Where to look in this resource
The whole document is relevant - it summarises the main characteristics of the practice.
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Here4You (Here4U) *
Area
2.2
Description

A digital, remote mental health and psychosocial support service for migrant and refugee children; identified as a good practice in a previous UNICEF report.

Brief description
Digital MHPSS service for migrant and refugee children (Italy).
Country
Italy 
Keywords
digital MHPSS, migrant & refugee, innovative practice
Resource Title
Here4You (Here4U) *
Topic
Innovative practice (*) - peer/youth-led digital service, nationally funded; evaluation limited.
Tools & Frameworks
Innovative practice
Language
EN
Use it to…
Use it to help identify, adapt, and apply effective solutions for peer-led online listening and counselling networks.
Where to look in this resource
The whole document is relevant - it summarises the main characteristics of the practice.
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Youngle
Year
2025
Area
2.2
Description

An Italian national network for online listening and counselling, funded by the Ministry of Health, with a peer-based model in which young people act as trained providers supported by psychologists, educators and social workers. It operates across 19 centres, with 110+ trained peers and 20,000+ chats handled.

Brief description
Peer-based online listening and counselling network (Italy).
Country
Italy 
Keywords
peer/youth-led, digital service
Resource Title
Youngle *