Can we—and should we—have a Europsychiatry for Children and Adolescents?

Abstract

The Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) paves the way for harmonisation of training and free movement of medical doctors within the European Union. For more than 10 years, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has been a distinct specialty at this European level—separate from Adult Psychiatry and Pediatrics.

The article gives detailed information on the background of the section/board of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy (CAPP), training issues including the Training Log Book and the recent situation as well as future perspectives of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in CAPP, all of which influence the corner stones of CAPP and its delineation from other medical and non-medical organisations.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as the application of trained specialist medical practice to mental illnesses and psychological disorders in children and young people up to the age of about 18 years reflects more and more the growing research advances of the last years within the field with more progress to come. On the other hand, shortcomings of patient provision in Europe still have to be resolved and CAPP may help to do so.