Sweden’s national health programme for children and young people is now available across the country, setting a common framework for health monitoring from before birth until the age of 20. Presented by the Swedish government on 21 August, the programme brings together recurring health visits, conversations, examinations and parental support, with the aim of reducing regional differences and identifying health problems earlier.
The programme was developed by Socialstyrelsen, Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare, together with five other public authorities. It is intended to coordinate services that already meet children and young people at different stages of their lives, including child healthcare, dental care, school health services and the wider healthcare system.
Sweden’s national health programme sets a common standard
The central objective is to make health monitoring continuous, regular and more equal regardless of where a child lives. The programme specifies when health visits and conversations should take place and which service should be responsible for them, creating a clearer division of responsibilities between municipalities, regions and healthcare providers.
The government presentation of the programme illustrates a continuous pathway extending from pregnancy through early childhood, compulsory school and the 16-to-20 age group. It includes health visits within child healthcare and schools, dental checks and different forms of parental support.
“Unfortunately, there are currently major differences in the support and care that children and young people receive in Sweden,” Minister for Social Affairs (socialminister) Jakob Forssmed said at the launch. He said more frequent visits and preventive measures should allow support to be provided earlier when needed.
More frequent checks and new preventive recommendations
Alongside the general framework, Socialstyrelsen has introduced around 20 new recommendations for professionals working with children and young people. These include earlier oral health assessments, more frequent monitoring of height and weight, broader parental support and more regular conversations about physical activity, sleep and screen habits.
For dental health, the recommendation is that children receive a first assessment of their risk of oral health problems before the age of two. At present, the first check often takes place at around three, although practices differ between regions.
Height and weight should also be measured more frequently during compulsory education. According to the new recommendation, measurements should take place six times during compulsory school rather than the three that are common today, followed by another measurement in upper-secondary school.
The programme extends systematic monitoring into late adolescence
One of the most significant elements is the attempt to connect healthcare throughout the entire period up to the age of 20. Existing national guidance already covers several stages of childhood, but Socialstyrelsen says the new programme provides professionals with a single overview across the full age range and is particularly relevant for those working with older children and adolescents.
The programme has been available since 21 August 2026 through Kunskapsguiden, the Swedish public knowledge platform for health and social care professionals, as well as for parents, children and young people.
Implementation will continue gradually. During the autumn, Socialstyrelsen will work with municipalities and regions on an implementation strategy and on the programme’s future development and management. The authority must submit its final report to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Socialdepartementet) by 31 January 2027.
The programme therefore does not replace Sweden’s existing network of child and school healthcare services. Instead, it establishes a national framework intended to make their interventions more consistent, while extending systematic preventive monitoring through the later years of adolescence.
