Background: Supporting positive mental health development in adolescents is an important school health concern, but there is a need to investigate the suitability of the interventions used.

Aim: The aim is to investigate the experiences of school health professionals in conducting a universal school-based programme aimed at preventing depressive symptoms in adolescents.

Methods: Twenty-two school health professionals participated in four focus groups. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings: The overall theme identified in the study consists of 'striking a balance between strictly following the manual and meeting the students' needs'. Three subthemes emerged: 'doing good and sowing seeds for the future', working with insufficient tools, and 'personal development as a professional and as an individual'.

Conclusions: School health professionals conducting the programme found it valuable in a school setting, but considered support from the school administration essential.

As a part of its health-monitoring programme, Sweden invites all children to access health services. In this qualitative study, first meetings with newly arrived child migrants and their families are described from the perspective of primary school nurses through three themes: methods and strategies in use, impact of the first health dialogues, and dedication of the school nurses. With many newly arrived migrants and scarce support within the school system, the nurses felt abandoned in balancing their available work hours with their own ambitions and conducting the meetings, including health checkups and mapping the vaccination status of the children.