School-based mental health services

My interest focuses on improving access to effective mental health interventions for children and adolescents, with a particular emphasis on school-based approaches. Since 2019, my team has led the OxWell Student Survey, a pivotal initiative exploring student needs and their preferred mental health supports. The next survey takes place from February to March 2025. ln 2023, OxWell gathered data from over 40,000 students across 180 schools, offering critical insights into a broad range of factors important for mental health and well-being. Our findings have been used extensively by researchers, schools and local authority partners in health and education. Visit our survey website for more information on the latest findings, resources including links to our National Webinar, podcast series and a short film for participating students. Do also look at how we have been able to create maps of mental health accessibility and acceptability to help improve provision in one of our latest publications Networks of Care for the Modern Adolescent.

OxWell publications are available on Google Scholar

We have made a poster for schools on low mood, supported by the Bank Workers Charity. Please download, print and put up or email to staff and students. Do let us know whether you find it useful. It is free for anyone to use and can be found here: Schools low mood poster

I have previously worked in a school-based mental health service for refugee children in Oxford and was funded by the NIHR to develop a psychological toolbox for school staff working with refugee children.

I have worked with Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, the local CCG  and the Oxford CLAHRC to develop and evaluate school-based mental health services in the region and continues as part of the Oxford ARC.

Please contact me directly if you would like to learn more about this exciting work.

Previous Oxwell Survey information:

The information sheets for parents, pupils. Further information on the Ethics and Information Governance. Video link for students.  Webinar for schools on the survey. We have completed a survey of Educational Mental Health Practitioners about the work that they have doing in schools (April – June 2020). The final report is available here to download: MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19- Summary Report; the infographic to download or see infographic and a link to a short video clip of the results. The OxWell2021_SummaryReport report is here. Our youth advisors worked with TikTok influencers to get the findings shared with younger populations and an example of one of these is here; we also posted on instagram as can be seen here and here and also made three posters to share with the participating schools- on OxWell 2021 top findings; injection fears and sleep difficulties A short film was also made by the Oxford Vaccine Group and shared on numerous different social media platforms including twitter; it can also be seen on this YouTube link.

Relevant publications:

  • S Rocks, M Fazel, A Tsiachristas, M Fazel. The impact of transforming Mental Health Services for young people in England on patient access, resource use and health: a quasi-experimental study BMJ Open 2020;10:e034067. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034067 article; pdf
  • J Lopez-Lopez, A Kwong, R Pearson; K Tilling, M Fazel, L Washbrook, J Kidger, G Hammerton. Trajectories of depressive symptoms and adult educational and employment outcomes. BMJ Open 2020 6(1), E6. doi:10.1192/bjo.2019.90 article; pdf
  • * M Fazel, B Kohrt. Prevention vs Intervention in School Mental Health. Lancet Psychiatry 20196(12):969-971 article; pdf
  • D Horwood, J Baker, M Fazel, S Rees, L Heslop, D Silove. School Factors Related to the Emotional Wellbeing And Resettlement Outcomes of Students From Refugee Backgrounds: Protocol For A Systematic Review. Systematic Reviews 2019;8:107 article; pdf
  • T King, M Fazel. Examining the mental health outcomes of peer-led school-based interventions on young people aged between 4 and 18 years old: A systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews 2019; 8:104 article; pdf
  • S Rocks, M Stepney, M Glogowska, M Fazel, A Tsiachristas. Understanding and Evaluating new models of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South-East England: A study protocol BMJ Open 2018;8: e024230 article
  • *M Noroozi, I Singh, M Fazel. Evaluation of the minimum age for consent to mental health treatment with the minimum age of criminal responsibility in children and adolescents: a global comparison Evidence-Based Mental Health 2018;21:82-86 article; pdf
  • E Soneson, J Childs-Fegredo, J Anderson, J Stochl , M Fazel, T Ford, A Humphries, P Jones, E Howarth. Acceptability of screening for mental health difficulties in primary schools: a survey of UK parents BMC Public Health 2018;18:1404 article; pdf
  • Lancet Psychiatry webpage for series on school-based mental health interventions (all free to download: editorial, podcast and 2 Review papers): http://www.thelancet.com/series/mental-health-interventions-schools
  • M Fazel, V Patel, S Thomas, W Tol. School-based mental health interventions in low and middle-income countries. Lancet Psychiatry 2014; 1: 388-98 article; pdf
  • M Fazel, K Hoagwood, S Stephan, T Ford. School-based mental health interventions in high-income countries. Lancet Psychiatry 2014; 1: 377-87 article; pdf
  • R. Tyrer, M Fazel. School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: A Systematic Review PLoS ONE 9(2):e89359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089359  article; pdf; figure
  • M Cortina, M Fazel, T Hunglawi, M Cortina Borja, S Tollman, K Kahn, A Stein. Childhood psychological problems in school settings in rural Southern Africa. PLOS One 2013; 8(6): e65041. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065041 article; pdf
  • M Fazel, H Doll, A Stein. A school-based mental health intervention for refugee  children: an exploratory study Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 2009, 14(2): 297-  309  abstract; pdf
  • M Cortina, K Kahn, M Fazel, T Hlungwani, Tollman S, Bhana A, Prothrow-Stith D, Stein A. School-based interventions can play a critical role in enhancing children’s development and health in the developing world Child: Care, Health and Development 2008;34: 1-3  article; pdf

Other

  • Rapid Response to Bring in Universal Health Checks in Schools BMJ 2013 347:f5478