IMprove Psychosocial cAre and soCial supporT for children and adolescents with cancer and their families to improve quality of life for all
IMPACT-EU aims to improve psychosocial care for children with cancer and their families across Europe. Our goal is to ensure that every child and family receives high-quality, evidence-based psychosocial support, regardless of where they live.
IMPACT-EU, coordinated by SIOPE, is a project founded by the European Union’s EU4Health programme.
To achieve our goals, IMPACT-EU is working to establish common standards of care, map existing psychosocial services within and outside of hospital settings, set up training for health care professionals and peer supporters and implement effective measures such as peer support, psychoeducation, support during medical procedures, and a structured care plan. By promoting consistency and equity in psychosocial care, we aim to reduce inequalities and provide every family with access to state-of-the-art psychosocial support in addition to medical treatment.
Setting Shared Standards for Psychosocial Care
We’re bringing experts together to agree on common standards for psychosocial care in paediatric oncology. By adapting international best practices to the European context, we aim to ensure every child and family receives the same high-quality support.
Mapping Psychosocial Services Across Europe
We’re charting the current landscape of psychosocial care for children with cancer and their families across Europe. Through reviews, surveys, interviews, and study visits, we aim to understand what support is available, where gaps exist, and how care can be made more equitable—especially in regions with fewer resources.
Building Skills Through Training
IMPACT-EU is developing training programs for all healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and child life specialists—to strengthen psychosocial care for children with cancer and their families. The training will be combining digital learning and in-person sessions to ensure accessibility across Europe.
In addition, a dedicated peer support training will be created, based on best practices from across Europe. The IMPACT-EU training initiatives aim to build long lasting capacity and ensure high-quality, patient-centered psychosocial care also after the ending of the project.
Putting Psychosocial Standards into Practice
To improve care where it matters most, IMPACT-EU is piloting key psychosocial standards in selected paediatric oncology centres across Europe. This includes tools for early psychosocial risk screening (PAT) and innovative approaches to reduce distress—with My Logbook and Little Nirvana.
Through online and in-person workshops, participating centres receive hands-on training, develop site-specific protocols, and pilot these tools in real clinical settings. By identifying families’ needs early and supporting children during treatment, the project aims to enhance wellbeing and ensure more tailored, compassionate care.
Communication, Dissemination & Advocacy
IMPACT-EU is committed to sharing knowledge and driving change across Europe. Through publications, events, and collaboration with policymakers, healthcare leaders, and patient organisations, we promote the adoption of psychosocial care standards in paediatric oncology.
By spreading best practices and publishing white papers with clear recommendations, the project aims to make psychosocial care a recognised and well-funded part of cancer treatment for children and families everywhere.
News
On October 2 and 3, the official launch of the project took place in Utrecht, Netherlands!
Under the coordination of SIOP Europe, the scientific leadership of the Princess Maxima Center, and in close collaboration with CCI Europe, which represents the voice of patients, we hope to make a real contribution together with our 17 other partners from a total of 14 European countries.
The event was characterized by genuine motivation, palpable inspiration, and a sincere desire to improve psychosocial care in pediatric oncology across Europe!
The event was about presenting the measures and activities as well as the planned results during the project, followed by initial interactive and exciting discussions.
We were very honored that both HaDea, represented by the Project Officer Olga Julve Martinez, and DG Sante, represented by the Policy Officer Simona Gerikaite, were present to celebrate the launch of the project.
Another highlight of the event was the artistic accompaniment by Suus van den Akker, who captured the content of the event lovingly, accurately, and with a wink in small cartoons.
