The Végeken Mental Health Foundation- the Hungarian EAAD partner held a workshop in Szeged on the 26th of October with the participation of about 80 social workers, including nursery, kindergarten and school representatives, family helpers of the Family and Child Welfare Service, case managers, and counselors of the Family and Child Welfare Center. The event, organised by the local EAAD network, took place in the local Family and Child Welfare Center, and was aimed at family care workers – who are present in the lives of families, schools and have direct access to young people – who were ready to learn more about the background of depression, intervention and prevention methods. As representatives of the social sector, it is important for them to have a baseline knowledge of depression and to be prepared to talk to young people, parents and teachers about the symptoms and characteristics of depression to prevent it and to seek and access appropriate help.
During the event, close attention was paid to helping participants understand what they can do as professionals if they encounter a situation where depression or self-harm may be occurring, and what options are available to help. The workshop provided an overview of the most important basic knowledge related to crisis management, as well as the channels of help and referral available for people at risk.
In the final part of the programme, plans were agreed for further joint activities to plan steps in which local relevant organisations and professionals can be involved in reviewing the options for prevention and treatment of depression to ensure a truly active and effective network based on the competencies of different professionals.
