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Strategies to enhance child and youth health in Sweden

Childcare facilities

Access to harmful products Prevention &

care facilities

School

Child and youth health

Labour market

59% think that these adverts influence young people

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Strategies to enhance child and youth health in Sweden

Childcare facilities

PARENTS

Access to harmful products Prevention &

care facilities

School

Child and youth health

Labour market

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Engaging parents

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Launched April 2009

Aim

• To offer all parents support during the whole child development

– Giving parents knowledge on child health, emotional, cognitive and social development and strengthen parents’ social networks

The Swedish National Strategy to support parents with children 0-17 years

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Why engage parents?

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The Swedish ”paternity leave” reform of 1974

Some strategies

1) Paid parental leave (13 months) + 6 months

2) Implementation of the parental insurance system that also permitted fathers to take paid parental leave.

3) An extended and publicly funded child-care system for all,

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Women

Men

Ref. Swedish Social Insurance Agency, 2008

The share of parental leave in Sweden 1974–2007

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Women

Men

How do we get here?

Do we need to wait for another 35 years?

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Good father = good children?

An active father figure:

• Reduces problem behaviour in boys and

psychological problems in girls

• Reduces criminality in low-income families

• Increases cognitive abilities in children

• Contributes to lower rates of substanse use

among children

Sarkadi et al. Acta Paediatrica. 2005: 97(2)

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Scientific evidence of public health benefits from engaging men in parenthood

Men who took paternity leave:

• had 14.1 fewer sick days off work than men who did not

• had 80% lower risk for alcohol-related care and

disability

• had a 25 % decrease in premature mortality risk

compared to men who did not

(Ref. Månsdotter, et al, Healthy Policy 2007)

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Special attention need to be given to young people with

intellectual disability

Engage more young men in public health practice and

policies

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Young people need to take the

leadership in strategies that

enhance the health of children –

the young people of tommorrow

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Sarah.wamala@fhi.se

www.fhi.se