How can we best support and promote mental health and wellbeing in schools, colleges and higher education?

Background

A sizeable minority of children and young people in England face a significant range of vulnerabilities and disadvantages. These include those already known to children’s social care, children in need, those eligible for free school meals (FSM) because of low family income, those with SEND, in particular those who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and those who attend Alternative Provision. Given the human, economic and social cost of poor performance in this area, we are seeking evidence on the best ways to improve outcomes for these children and young people, before issues become acute and require more significant intervention

Next steps

If you would like to discuss previous, ongoing or potential research into any of the areas in this document, please contact research.engagement@education.gov.uk.

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Df E Areas of Research Interest 2024

Related UKRI funded projects

  • The influence of mental health on educational attainment in adolescence

    Growing evidence of the prevalence of poor mental health among children and young people in the UK has led to this issue becoming a key policy priority. Recent Government reports and policy programmes have particularly e...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: NatCen Social Research

    Why might this be relevant?

    This project directly addresses the question by investigating the influence of mental health on educational attainment in adolescence.

  • Exploring whole-system intervention to improve mental health and wellbeing through schools.

    The integration of health and education policy and practice, with a specific focus on the role of schools in mental health education and preventative intervention, is of major topical concern. There is strong support in ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Brighton

    Why might this be relevant?

    While the project explores whole-system intervention in schools, it does not directly address mental health and wellbeing promotion.

  • Understanding and enhancing mental health competence - a promising new approach to improving lives for young people

    Background The Chief Medical Officer for England's Annual Reports 2012 and 2013 acknowledged the importance of promotion of mental health in young people, rather than focusing on mental health problems. One conceptualisa...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: University College London

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on enhancing mental health competence in young people, which is related to the broader question of promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools.

  • Understanding the relationship between mental health difficulties and educational outcomes in children and young people

    Anxiety and depression ("emotional disorders") are among the most common mental health conditions in children and young people (CYP), and are linked with long-term impairments in health, education, employment a...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Exeter

  • Emerging Minds: Action for Child Mental Health

    Approximately one in ten children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem. Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence bring significant emotional, social, and educational disadvantage and prese...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Oxford

  • Kailo - A systemic approach to improving adolescent mental health

    The mental health and well-being of adolescents is vitally important, not only for their own well-being and development, but also as a contributor to the health, social and economic prosperity of our society. Yet evidenc...

    Funded by: MRC

    Lead research organisation: University College London

  • Building a prevention pathway for early mental health problems

    One in ten children in the UK are affected by a mental health problem, causing significant distress to them and their families. Where these problems endure, they can hold children back from reaching their potential in sc...

    Funded by: FLF

    Lead research organisation: University of Cambridge

  • SMARtEN: Student Mental Health Research Network

    Our vision is to change the Higher Education experience for all students and realise the ambition of an education system that supports students to thrive. Our network will build a comprehensive understanding of student m...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: King's College London

  • Long-Term Modelling Tools for Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing Research

    Adolescents often experience mental health and wellbeing difficulties. When such difficulties persist or escalate over time, they cause misery to adolescents and their families, impose substantial costs on education, hea...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: University of York

  • Improving the mental health of children and young people in Northern Ireland - making research count

    This fellowship creates the opportunity to apply knowledge & learning from PhD study to identify & disseminate key findings from a new data source, the Youth Wellbeing Study NI. The is the first survey in NI to r...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen's University Belfast

Similar ARIs from other organisations

Effective approaches to improving youth outcomes through youth services What works in improving youth outcomes? Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, 2023
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Extent and costs of problems facing young people What are the costs of not addressing these issues/improving youth outcomes? Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, 2023
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