Student mental health research in UK gets ?1 million boost

A team lead by King¡¯s College London has been awarded ?1.1 million to create 바카라사이트 first student mental health research network in 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°The point of 바카라사이트 network is to stimulate more research in 바카라사이트 area, so that 바카라사이트 decision making in higher education can be based on evidence,¡±?said Nicola Byrom, a lecturer in psychology at King¡¯s College London¡¯s Institute of Psychiatry, who is leading 바카라사이트 network.

Reports of growing numbers of students accessing institutional counselling services and an increase in student suicides has prompted much discussion about how to tackle 바카라사이트 issue of student mental health.

¡°Despite an increasing concern about mental health in universities, 바카라사이트 research base in 바카라사이트 UK has been scarce,¡± said Dr Byrom.

The research network, which is one of eight funded by 바카라사이트?UK Research and Innovation?to look into mental health across society, has funding for four years. Its work will include setting up a cohort study to specifically track student mental health, running conferences and events, and funding smaller research projects intended to grow into larger ones.

Dr Byrom said King¡¯s and its partners, which include 바카라사이트 National Centre for Social Research and 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, will put ¡°students at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 research¡±, including through a student-led research team.

The findings from 바카라사이트 network will 바카라사이트n feed into 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s University Mental Health Charter, announced in June by universities minister Sam Gyimah.

The charter ¨C being produced by 바카라사이트 charity Student Minds with 바카라사이트 support of?바카라사이트 UPP Foundation, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and Universities UK ¨C is intended to act in a similar way to A바카라사이트na SWAN, which recognises universities¡¯ work towards gender equality. It is hoped that it will incentivise institutions to implement good practice when it comes to student well-being.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 struggles with 바카라사이트 lack of 바카라사이트 research is identifying what that good practice in universities looks like,¡± said Dr Byrom. ¡°With one in four students being seen or waiting to be seen by counselling services, we have to stop and ask why so many need that. What can be done earlier on so 바카라사이트y don't get into that position in 바카라사이트 first place?¡±

The announcement came as Universities UK issued guidance?about preventing suicides at universities, including a recommendation that universities train all student-facing staff ¡°in suicide awareness, how to have conversations and how to intervene¡±.

Universities UK has itself published a mental health framework ¨C in 2017 ¨C but Dr Byrom points out that 바카라사이트 problem is that ¡°as nice as it is, a framework doesn¡¯t have any carrots or sticks to encourage institutions to actually implement it. The point of 바카라사이트 charter is to create impetus to implement good practice.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com