The programmes are part of the municipal government measure ‘Childhood and Citizenship Focus 2017-2020: Plan for childhood and teenage growth and experience in Barcelona’, which starts out with the conviction that childhood is the most strategic stage of life, as well as a collective asset that needs a greater effort in terms of investment in order to achieve better cohesion in the city.

New emotional and mental health support services

During the 2017-2018 school year, different programmes are being started to improve the emotional and mental health of children and young people, from early childhood through to adulthood. One example is the ‘Creixem’ project, which is designed to provide a new impetus at the city’s eleven Child Development and Early Care Centres. The programme works towards support for multiple disabilities, mediation and translation to attend to the diversity of origin of families with children, as well as child sex abuse and the various vulnerabilities of children with disabilities etc.

Improved response to cases of children and teenagers at risk

In order to improve the response time and quality in these cases, improvements will be made to the system of information files and in 2018 a pilot scheme will be run to develop a specialised and more centralised structure to address certain prosecution studies. At the same time, the City Council has started an analysis to increase prevention of the sexual abuse of children and teenagers. The analysis will lead to training for professionals at municipal facilities on prevention, detection, and care in cases of sex abuse and child mistreatment.

More municipal nursery school places

The number of nursery school places is due to rise to 9,000 at municipal nurseries in the city in 2020, compared to the current 8.130 places. The increase will prioritise more socially vulnerable areas and those with the lowest schooling rates. In the same vein, five municipal family spaces will be created, one of which opens this autumn and joins the seven existing family facilities.

Greater participation from children and teenagers

This month a process has started so that children themselves can decide how they participate in city life. Criteria are also to be drawn up and a strategy developed so that for the first time ever the way Barcelona plans the city’s public space favours the right to play and includes a new model for more diverse and inclusive play areas.