Unveiling New Insights into Student Mental Health - OxWELL
The OxWell Student survey provides accurate and current data to help schools, mental health services, local authority practitioners and commissioners better tailor their services to address the increasing needs of their school-aged populations. The ARC has enabled the OxWell Student Survey to conduct another survey (February- March 2023) with over 25,000 students completing the survey; 290 schools have enrolled from four regions across England (Berkshire, Liverpool, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire). New questions were added on current issues of concern (cost of living crisis, mental health supports, social media exposures).
The 2023 survey data is proving to be an incredible resource. The study team spent six months with our stakeholders determining and refining the questions to be asked. Findings are of substantial interest to all those in education, mental health provision and public health as mental health in children and young people is a local priority for our Integrated Care Systems and a national priority for the NHS.
Project lead / contact: Mina Fazel — Department of Psychiatry (ox.ac.uk)
Website: OxWell
ARC theme: Mental health across the life course
The OxWell Student Survey, conducted by the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, aims to improve the mental health and well-being of children and young people aged 9–18 across several counties in England. By gathering data on a wide range of well-being aspects including mental health, lifestyle, and school experiences, the survey provides critical insights to schools and local authorities. This project seeks to understand the factors influencing young people's well-being and their preferences for mental health support, with the ultimate goal of fostering positive changes in mental health services and school environments.
Who we're working with
Universities:
- Department of Psychiatry (cam.ac.uk)
- MRC Biostatistics Unit (cam.ac.uk)
- Department of Psychology (bath.ac.uk)
- Global Mental Health | King’s Global Health Institute | King’s College London (kcl.ac.uk)
- Melbourne School of Population & Global Health | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)
Local authorities:
- Children's Services, Schools and Education - West Berkshire Council
- Schools and learning | Buckinghamshire Council
- East Berkshire (Frimley) - Schools and Education | Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (rbwm.gov.uk)
- Schools and learning - Liverpool City Council
- Schools | Oxfordshire County Council
- Schools and lifelong learning | Milton Keynes City Council (milton-keynes.gov.uk)
Healthcare Partners:
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust including Oxfordshire Integrated Care Systems - https://bobicb.nhs.uk
- Oxford Health CAMHS | Child and Adolescent Mental Health ServiceOxford Health CAMHS