Child & adolescent mental health

Psychiatry's research spans improving scientific understanding of brain development during infancy, childhood and adolescence, to finding the most effective solutions for the adolescent mental health crisis. Our research teams are working to improve the understanding of anxiety disorders and depression in children and young people, with the ultimate aim of enabling them to lead the lives they want to live, benefitting them, their families and society as a whole. 

We are undertaking some of the world’s largest studies into child and adolescent wellbeing, such as the Oxwell survey which reached more than 40,000 adolescents in England in 2023.  We are asking young people about issues such as social media use and what mental health support works best for them. The findings help inform and influence policy in schools and local and national health services.   

Our researchers and clinical teams are developing, testing and rolling out new digital treatments for child and adolescent mental health challenges. These treatments can be delivered more efficiently and for less cost than the usual non-digital approach - without compromising child outcomes or therapist and parent satisfaction. They are also built to ensure accessibility and inclusion.