SERENA engages with WHO Europe to strengthen the impact of its policy recommendations
On 4 November 2026, the SERENA project held an introductory meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe to present the project’s objectives, research programme, progress and emerging findings, and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
The meeting, led by Alexios Georgalis and George Nikolaidis from the Institute of Child Health (ICH), Athens, brought together three representatives from WHO Europe. Discussions focused in particular on SERENA’s forthcoming policy recommendations and how the project’s findings could contribute to wider European policy discussions on children rendered vulnerable by abuse.
During the meeting, the SERENA team presented the project’s work on hospital and linked administrative data research, qualitative studies, emerging findings and planned policy recommendations. The exchange also explored potential opportunities to disseminate SERENA outputs through relevant WHO channels.
A concrete outcome of the meeting was WHO Europe’s willingness to review SERENA’s policy recommendations once they are ready. Dr Jennifer Hall consulted Dr Ledia Lazeri, WHO Europe Regional Advisor for Mental Health, and confirmed that draft recommendations can be shared with WHO for feedback before their finalisation.
The meeting also opened the door to further knowledge exchange. WHO shared its report “Adverse childhood experiences in the European Union, Iceland and Norway: characteristics, consequences and costs” and offered to share data from Greece with the SERENA project.
The SERENA consortium will now coordinate the timing of the draft recommendations with the relevant work packages, clarify opportunities for dissemination through WHO channels and follow up on the potential sharing of Greek data.
This exchange represents an important step in strengthening the policy and European-level impact of SERENA’s research, while fostering dialogue with key international organisations working on child protection, mental health and health and social care systems.
