Sweden to draft new school curriculum to curb rising child mental‑health issues

Swedish officials acknowledge that the 2011 school reform (Lgr 11) and its 2022 successor have contributed to a steady increase in psychological problems among pupils, including depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Advocacy groups and health experts call for a fresh curriculum, citing a government‑appointed inquiry – “Kunskap för alla” – to lay the groundwork for a new framework that recognises differing learning capacities and better supports children with neuro‑developmental conditions.

In the southern region of Skåne, long waiting times for child‑and‑adolescent psychiatry (BUP) are exacerbating the crisis. Only about 60 % of children receive an initial appointment within 30 days, while over 80 % experience delays for treatment, prompting calls for a care‑choice system that would introduce competition and reduce queues. Critics argue that without reform, families—especially those with fewer resources—face inequitable access to timely mental‑health care.

Both pieces stress that immediate policy action is needed to improve educational support and psychiatric services for Swedish youth.