Children and young people's health

Studies and analyses

• We monitor changes in children's and young people's health behaviours and attitudes through the following surveys:

- Health Behaviour in School-aged Children in Estonia (HBSC)

- HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour among young people in Estonia

- European School Survey Project on Drug Use among Adolescents (ESPAD)

• We also carry out surveys with a narrower focus. See reports of surveys about children and young people on the website or search for data in the health statistics database.

Health promotion and prevention

• We influence health policy and legislation
• We support the implementation of health-promoting educational principles in kindergartens and schools, by developing or adapting methodological materials and assessment tools for Estonia and by providing specialist information
• Developing and strengthening a nationwide network of health promotion coordinators in educational institutions by mentoring and training coordinators
• Work with local professionals and networks
• Agreeing on principles and quality criteria for cross-sectoral prevention
• VEPA Behavioural Skills Game - a methodology to be implemented in the primary grades to support pupils' mental health and prevent risky behaviour later in life
• Incredible Years - a parenting programme that supports the development of parenting skills and helps prevent behavioural and health problems
• Developing interventions for kindergartens and parents to influence children's eating and physical activity habits
• Developing a methodology to measure the evidence base for preventive interventions in Estonia.

Services

• Development of a counselling service for schools to implement drug prevention
• Development of services for screening and early intervention of drug use among young people

Training and outreach activities

• Development of publications and guidance materials in different areas (health promotion in education, physical activity, nutrition, mental health, drug prevention, sexual health, oral health, injury prevention, first aid, diabetes in children and young people)
• Providing training for teachers and professionals working with children on the following topics:    

- health promotion in educational institutions

- nutrition and physical activity

- prevention of drug abuse and life skills development.

- sex education

- mental health promotion

• Organising training on evidence-based prevention
• Managing the websites tarkvanem.ee, vepa.ee, terviseinfo.ee, noored.alkoinfo.ee

The activities are implemented partly with the support of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, the European Commission and other external funding.