IMPACT-EU, psychosocial care for paediatric cancer patients

IMPACT-EU is a European project that aims to establish Europe-wide standards for psychosocial care in paediatric oncology, ensuring comprehensive support throughout the treatment journey, including the transition to adult care.

The project integrates psychosocial care with advocacy from patient organisations to provide a holistic, collaborative approach that can be adapted across diverse contexts.

Its overall goal is to improve the quality of life and well-being of children and adolescents with cancer, as well as their families, siblings, and relatives, through comprehensive mental and psychosocial support. 

Based on current standards and clinical needs, the project focuses on these main actions: 

• Developing a Europe-wide standard for psychosocial care in paediatric oncology to ensure consistent, high-quality support across countries.
• Mapping psychosocial services across Europe, both within and outside hospitals, to identify available resources, best practices, and existing gaps.
• Providing training and implementation tools to strengthen the skills and capacity of professionals and peer supporters, delivering psychosocial care.
• Advocating for and providing policy recommendations for national adoption of psychosocial standards in Europe.

By combining research, training, and practice, IMPACT-EU aims to strengthen psychosocial care systems, build professional capacity, and promote the adoption of psychosocial standards across Europe. The holistic approach of the project will help ensure that every child, adolescent, and family affected by cancer receives the emotional, social, and psychological support they need.

An important contribution for the SJD Pediatric Cancer Centre

The SJD Pediatric Cancer Centre Barcelona at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, is actively participating in the IMPACT-EU project throughout its duration, from 2025 to 2028. The professionals at this centre work with the aim of curing children and adolescents with cancer and offering them and their families comprehensive psychosocial and mental health care throughout the treatment process.

For Sant Joan de Déu, participating in the IMPACT-EU project is a great opportunity, as it allows us to:

• Share our experience with other highly renowned European institutions in the field of paediatric oncology.
• Improve our professional training and implement new programmes that enhance the experience of patients and their families and comply with the psychosocial standards set out in European guidelines.

Furthermore, one of the important goals of this project is to be able to expand this knowledge and the programmes and guidelines developed from it to different countries in the European Union, in order to promote equity in the care of children and adolescents with cancer throughout Europe.