Findings from the Oxwell Student Survey can help local and national authorities better respond to young people’s needs.
Schools and colleges in Oxfordshire and Liverpool are being encouraged to take part over the next three weeks, with participating pupils then asked a range of questions give a snapshot of their lives and mental health and wellbeing.
The survey is run by researchers at the University of Oxford and takes place every two years. It will be open until March 24th, with 4,500 pupils signed up already so far.
The survey includes questions on young people’s wellbeing, interests and support systems. This year will include new questions on school belonging, access to mental health services, gender, and neurodiversity.
The last survey in 2023 saw more than 40,000 young people from more than 200 schools take part. Among the findings, were that young people were accessing a range of services for their mental wellbeing and that they found informal support from friends and family most useful.
The survey data is shared with participating schools and colleges, as well as local and national authorities to help them better respond to the needs of their children and young people, and has resulted in changes to local health and education plans.
Professor Mina Fazel, Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, who leads the research, said:
Not only does this survey give us valuable insights into young people’s lives, but we are also committed to translating those findings into practical measures and plans that improve their mental health and wellbeing.
That’s why the more children we get taking part, the better the picture we get of what is happening in their lives and minds, and what their priorities are.”
The OxWell Survey is a partnership between pupils, schools, local authorities and the OxWell Study Team at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford. It is supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley.
Children aged between nine and 18 years old in participating schools are eligible to take part.
The first results will be available early summer.
Sign up your school or college