Identifying modifiable drivers of engagement and outcome disparities in adolescent mental health across Bradford

We know that certain groups of young people are less likely to seek help for mental health problems. We also know that, for those who do seek help, outcomes from that support vary too. We want to better understand these differences and why they exist. By doing so, we will aim to develop new ways of supporting young people to get the help they need, tailored to the individual needs of different communities.

We will analyse the data from the Born in Bradford Age of Wonder study to identify which groups of young people are less likely to seek help for mental health problems, receive help, or benefit from help. We will look at the way that different factors – such as family life, school life, or friendships – interact with this. We will look at a wide range of factors, such as help-seeking behaviours, mental health outcomes, things that we know impact on mental health, and look at ages across the range of adolescence. This will extend what we already know into later ages and a wider range of mental health related factors.

We will use advanced statistics to look at these connections. We will take into account in our analysis the wider context of growing up in Bradford, such as the schools young people go to, as well as information on the young people and their families. Throughout this project, we will run workshops with young people so they can help guide our research and interpret the results.

We are also planning similar work with other groups of young people, such as those from Oxford and Manchester. We will look at all of our findings together to try and identify similarities and differences. From this evidence, we will work with young people to identify and then test ways that we can support people to get the mental health support they need.