Children’s mental health in primary schools has been neglected for many years, and the state has still not established a functional support system, SAO auditors found in a recent audit. The situation worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed a critical shortage of school psychologists. In September 2024, there were on average 710 pupils per one psychologist, and in some districts more than 3,000. Three districts (Levoča, Snina and Medzilaborce) had no school psychologist at all. The respected American National Association of School Psychologists recommends one psychologist per a maximum of 500 pupils. Moreover, responsible institutions lack comprehensive data on children’s mental health and on school support teams, which hinders targeted planning and effective state support. Although the pandemic forced authorities to act and several positive measures were adopted after 2022, auditors warn that Slovakia should have addressed this issue much earlier.

Based on findings from selected schools, national auditors identified key problems and conducted a questionnaire survey, answered by 75% of the 2,064 primary schools contacted. As many as 99% of the 1,005 schools with school support teams considered their establishment beneficial, yet most struggle with a lack of specialised staff. Almost three quarters of schools reported needing additional professional positions but are limited mainly by financial constraints and a shortage of qualified workers. Nearly every school without a psychologist stated it needed to fill this position, and even those that have one require additional capacity.

The audit also highlighted ambiguities in the legal framework governing prevention and care in school mental health, as schools lack clear rules for preventive activities. 

“Mental health support in schools has begun to take shape, but it is often provided by staff without proper professional qualifications. If experts do not take the lead in this crucial area, we are indirectly gambling with children’s well-being and the future of young people,” said SAO President Ľubomír Andrassy.

State auditors also found that the Ministry of Education failed to ensure a sufficient number of school psychologists to meet the recommended ratio of no more than 500 pupils per psychologist – this benchmark was met in only 13 districts last year. According to a survey of 205 primary schools with more than 500 pupils, almost one third of large schools had no psychologist at all or only on a part-time basis, confirming persistent staffing shortages. Because the state has long lacked comprehensive data on children’s mental health, it is impossible to assess the effectiveness of current support measures accurately.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly worsened the mental health of Slovaks, as confirmed by 2023 data from the American National Association of School Psychologists. After its outbreak, the number of adolescents aged 15–19 receiving outpatient or inpatient psychiatric care increased, and this age group also dominates suicide attempt statistics. In 2024, two children under 14 and 11 adolescents died by suicide. The crisis hotline IPčko recorded in 2021 a 97% increase in contacts from young people engaging in self-harm, with the sharpest growth among children aged 10–14. According to the HBSC study from 2021–2022, one in five children aged 13–15 is at risk of depression, one third experience anxiety, and one quarter of girls show signs of eating disorders. As many as 67% of Slovak children struggle with concentration, emotions or behaviour.

The topic of mental well-being is also important for the auditors themselves, who regularly face demanding and stressful situations in their work. The SAO therefore conducts internal training focused on psychological safety at the workplace, effective communication and conflict resolution. The Office offers staff stress- and anxiety-reduction programmes as well as individual counselling. In the future, it plans to systematically develop activities supporting mental health, particularly stress management and resilience-building. 

“At a time of growing polarisation, disinformation and pressure on public institutions, we want to lead by example as the national authority for external control. We are opening the discussion about psychological safety also internationally, as part of the debate on the professionalism and performance of public institutions,” said SAO President Ľ. Andrassy, adding that the Office also cooperates with experts from Comenius University’s Institute of Applied Psychology on this topic.