March 2018

SECOND SEMINAR "BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL DISORDERS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS – GREATER UNDERSTANDING LEADS TO HEALTHIER OUTCOMES" HELD FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL PEDAGOGUES OF CENTRAL BOSNIA CANTON


The results from the Baseline study conducted by TPO Foundation in over 30 primary schools in three cantons at the beginning of "Peer- and gender-based violence" project showed that educators face the problem of insufficient information regarding behavioral disorders of children. Because of the need for additional education on proper conduct towards children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems, which often result different forms of violence or are caused by violence, a seminar entitled "Behavioral and emotional disorders of children and adolescents – greater understanding leads to healthier outcomes" was held in Vitez on March 27, 2018. In schools, there are children with more or less severe types of disorders, children with ADHD, OCD forms of behavior, anxiety, internet addiction, therefore, the aim of the seminar was to empower the school community in working with children and parents in order to reduce and prevent emotional and behavioral disorders in primary school students. One of the 12 child psychiatrists in BiH, Nermina Kravic, M.D., a neuropsychiatrist subspecialized in child and adolescent psychiatry, was the lecturer at the one-day seminar for 12 pedagogues and psychologists of partner primary schools in Central Bosnia Canton.  
The lecture was an opportunity for the seminar attendees to learn and exchange experiences in their work with children who suffer from more or less severe types of behavioral and emotional disorders at schools.

Everyone agreed that it is normal and understandable that parents have difficulties accepting the fact that their child has one of the disorders, and it is necessary that school staff work with parents gradually in order to establish methods of action aimed at offering necessary help to the child through mutual cooperation between the school and parents. Additionally, the attendees concluded how there needs to be more responsibility, work and cooperation of schools and institutions which include health centers, the police and social services, because better cooperation, understanding and quality action surely contributes to healthier outcomes. Program activities of the "Peer- and gender-based violence" project will continue through work with teachers and parents from 31 primary school partners in this project.