While diabetes healthcare professionals quite rightly offer a combination of treatment, information and instructions, the time has come for another dimension to be added to diabetes care practices: attention to psychological and social challenges facing people with the condition and their families. DAWN Youth initiatives are being implemented in many countries worldwide in order to improve various aspects of psychosocial support, and draw attention to some fundamental shortcomings in current healthcare systems. In  this article, Henk-Jan Aanstoot provides a round-up of DAWN Youth activities in Europe.