Expert Group on Mental Health

The CEP Expert Group on Mental Health met on 19 November 2025 to continue its work on developing a European mental health training curriculum for probation officers. Since last year, the group has been working intensively and meticulously to produce a solid first version of the curriculum.

This initial draft was recently shared with 13 European probation services and reviewed by around 30 professionals, who were invited to provide external validation and feedback.

During the meeting, the group reviewed all contributions received and carefully assessed how to incorporate them while ensuring the overall coherence of the document.

Although significant progress has been made, the group has not yet finalised this phase of the work. Members will continue refining the curriculum in the coming months to ensure a high-quality, comprehensive, and representative result for all European countries.

Looking ahead, the group has also planned an in-person meeting for early 2026. In addition to the curriculum, the Expert Group will begin developing practical materials and a guide to support probation officers in working with probationers who experience mental health difficulties. These resources are intended to be translated into various EU languages to maximise accessibility and impact.

The Expert Group will continue to meet regularly as it advances this important initiative for European probation practice.