The right to mental health for children and young people: guarantees in access to and care in residential centers

Document analyzing the reasons and difficulties in achieving equality in guaranteeing access to the highest possible level of health, in terms of well-being and full development of the child and adolescent in mental health care.

In this analysis, the Síndic de Greuges proposes improvements to achieve this goal.

The Ombudsman focuses his attention on residential therapeutic and educational resources and their specific problems: the demand for these services, the adequacy of existing resources, the proliferation and suitability of private centers, and compliance with requirements and guarantees in accordance with the best interests of children and adolescents and their right to enjoy the highest possible level of mental health. To carry out this analysis, the Ombudsman relies on numerous complaints and actions taken regarding this type of institutionalization of children and adolescents, on exchanges with professionals, and also on observations resulting from visits to centers conducted by the Ombudsman's children's team and the Catalan Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (MCPT).

Document available in Catalan.