In Our Own Words research projects

Recommendations

Update young people while they are waiting. Young people experience waiting lists when accessing emotional wellbeing and mental health services. Young people have suggested offering ‘check-ins’ would be helpful to keep them informed as how they are progressing on the waitlist.

"Give an estimate time on waiting time, give every 2 to 3 months update for the first year than extend it to every 5 months there on, if it goes past two years, offer a call up, to let the person know they aren't forgotten in the sea of people who are also on the waitlist".

improve school based support available for young people while waiting young people who are waiting for emotional wellbeing and mental health services have shared additional support at schools and colleges would be beneficial while waiting.

"Giving support within school to allow me to access. And having long term support rather than 5 to 10 sessions of something then leaving me without support".

increased support and social groups for young people on the waitlist. Young people have shared being sign posted to social prescribing and community support groups would be helpful whilst waiting for services.

Reasonable adjustments implemented

schools to offer reasonable adjustments to all young people and to ensure they are taken seriously. Schools can refer and utilise the Surrey’s Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) guidance to take a needs lead approach. Young people would like reasonable adjustments to be offered to all students, not just those who are neurodivergent.

"I am always in trouble for things I can’t help Not making eye contact forgetting equipment not listening or completing enough work in class. I find it hard to wear a blazer, but I am forced to and marched to my locker everyday".

Recommendations

flexible timetables. When appropriate, young people to be offered flexible timetables, for example; reduce contact hours, taking some lessons at home, some classes in a sensory safe room or an alternative environment to a classroom. Young people have shared this could reduce chances of masking, burn-out and in turn school non-attendance.

"Go out on a walk outside and take a break from the masking and let out any feelings you’ve bottled up".

"Could provide an option to do the lesson at home and not make a big deal and huff about missing school".

relationship building/management between ND students and teachers . Young people would like schools to use a restorative practice approach to help with addressing breakdowns in trust and communication. Students could benefit from having an assigned trusted adult to allow them to have a point of contact to check in with and discuss any problems or concerns.

"More Support staff. Someone that understands my diagnosis and is willing to help me with the challenges I face".

Recommendations

• neurodiversity teacher training to be completed every year. This is so the new knowledge, feedback and techniques are regularly generated. Young people recommend yearly training, or refreshers to re-emphasise the importance of individual support, understanding and adjustments.
• Mental Health (MH) and Additional Needs and Disabilities (AN&D) training for education professionals. Youth researchers felt that teachers and professionals need to be more aware of the experience of AN&D / neurodivergence and mental health, understanding the complexities and individual differences. Young people would like mental health challenges not to be reduced to being neurodivergent and they would like to be understood in a more holistic way.

“Benefit from formal training on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Tourette’s, and oppositional defiance disorder as I taught students with these conditions”

Neurodiversity training and support for teachers should be tailored to the specific circumstances of each school- This ensures it aligns with their available time, capacity, and resources, enabling and empowering staff to effectively implement recommendations and create meaningful change.

“There seems to be an increasing number of neurodiverse children in our school, and we need further support to best meet the needs of these children”

Recommendations

personalised social support for young people returning to school. Young people would like schools to support young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) with the tools on how to manage conversations/interactions with friends and peers when returning to school.

"Once you stop attending it’s 1000 times harder to go back because of the anxiety around what people are going to say when they see you again".

a whole-school approach is needed for awareness and support around EBSNA. Young people have shared they would like supportre integrating with friends, peers and teachers after experiencing EBSNA. This can be done through increasing EBSNA awareness, education and open conversations for example assemblies and Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) lessons.

"I go months without seeing or hearing from any of my old friends because they are too busy with their lives".

reasonable adjustments over attendance - young people wanted to acknowledge and share that some young people may never to get to stage of 100% attendance but empowering and supporting them to be involved as much as possible is a positive approach. Improved mental health will enable children and young people to engage more and achieve better long-term outcomes.

Recommendations

increase training on neurodiversity for police. Police staff said they would benefit from increased and regularly updated training on neurodiversity to improve their understanding, identification and interactions with neurodivergent community members. Involving lived-experience experts in delivering this training would be important and effective.

"More about how to adapt communication to suit an individual dependent on their needs. I also think it is important to be able to understand 'triggers' to aid with dealing with certain situations".

improve awareness of Pegasus scheme among neurodiverse young people and wider police staff. This includes better in-house training for officers on how the Pegasus scheme works and making sure it is more widely promoted so neurodiverse young people can effectively use it when engaging with police. Opportunities for feedback and development of the scheme with the neurodivergent community should take place regularly.

"I think knowledge around the scheme for wider police staff is very minimal".

"I don’t think it is publicised enough for young people who are neurodiverse can utilise it when talking to us".

Background and methodology

Drawing on my own experiences of support in secondary school and college, this study aimed to amplify the voices of wellbeing staff and explore whether student support systems are sustainable. settings may face even greater challenges.

The research used semi structured interviews with three members of a Further Education (FE) college pastoral team, including Wellbeing Practitioners and Student Support Officers. Participants shared insights into their daily roles, administrative workload, and views on current funding and staffing.

Summary

This study finds that while college wellbeing staff are highly committed, rising student need has pushed support services into a reactive “firefighting” mode. Heavy workloads and administrative demands limit staff capacity to provide early, preventative support, meaning many students are only helped once they reach crisis point. Although staffing levels have increased, paperwork continues to reduce valuable face-to-face time. The findings highlight the need for a system that prioritises proactive mental health support, giving staff the time and resources to keep students well, not just respond when things go wrong.

Recommedations

• all FE colleges to have a dedicated Wellbeing Administrative Assistant to handle logging data, external referrals and scheduling would return several hours of student facing time to frontline staff every week
• protect time for prevention. Senior Leadership Teams to introduce protected blocks of time for staff to deliver preventative activities. This time could be used for relaxed drop ins, question and answer sessions and safe space workshops specifically designed for groups who share the same struggles
• secure a permanent, protected budget for mental health and neurodiversity staffing. As student numbers and neurodivergent needs grow, the staff want to see their own team built up with permanent campus staff who understand how mental health and learning needs overlap
• make it easier for young people to find support. Students need to know who wellbeing staff are and how to reach them

“I was really interested in understanding how life circumstances including people’s financial situation can affect their psychological wellbeing. I carried out a survey of people aged between 18 to 44 and asked them questions about areas like employment, stress levels, social and financial wellbeing. I gathered quantitative and qualitative insights from a diverse mix of 40 people”.

Summary

The findings highlight a complex interaction between stress, financial pressures, and social wellbeing. While respondents report relatively strong personal support networks, this may not be enough to offset moderate-to-high stress levels, low satisfaction with stress, and the impact of financial concerns. Additionally, there is a gap between feeling supported and feeling a sense of belonging within society more widely.

Key findings

While individuals report strong personal support networks, a weaker sense of societal belonging and ongoing financial pressures can contribute to sustained stress and reduced wellbeing.

Recommendations

• continue to normalise conversations around mental health and stress through initiatives such as walks and talks or community wellbeing groups
• promote group activities, volunteering and inclusive community spaces to address people’s sense of belonging in their communities
• establish peer support or mentoring initiatives around mental health and finances
• enhance universal stress management and preventative wellbeing support, in flexible formats including online and group sessions
• strengthen signposting to financial advice and budgeting tools plus grants, benefits and financial assistance schemes

Summary

Our sociological research project aims to highlight the need for greater early support to be available to every girl, throughout education, health and care. We are passionate about ensuring that girls receive the same levels of support available to boys, in similar positions. This systemic gender divide needs more research; we hope that our study helps to fill this void. Through Emma’s survey of autistic girls AFAB, and Louisa’s study of a professional’s lived experience, we aim to identify the key challenges that can be addressed by stakeholders at every level.

Research finding

Overall, the findings support the hypothesis that a lack of early support contributes to emotional regulation difficulties in autistic girls. Survey data from 38 young people indicates many experience gender-based discrimination, with autism still widely stereotyped as more common in boys. This stigma can delay recognition, even though many participants identified their neurodivergence between ages 10 and 14.

Formal diagnosis and meaningful support were often delayed, with National Health Services waiting times identified as a key barrier. While some schools provide adjustments, these are not always clearly linked to autism, reflecting gaps in clinical input and understanding. Together, the findings highlight significant weaknesses in early identification and current diagnostic processes, underscoring the need for improved clinical support and systemic reform.

Combined recommendations

For school educators:

• provide staff training on how autism presents in girls to support early identification and action
• align Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and behaviour policies to enable early, flexible support (before diagnosis), using inclusive strategies rather than punitive responses
• offer consistent, long-term support, including access to a trusted adult and well-managed transitions

For local authorities and commissioners:

• develop a clear local offer informed by autistic girls’ experiences
• increase SEND funding, particularly for staff training on autism in girls
• strengthen early help through universal parent workshops on neurodiversity

Together, these emphasise early identification, consistent support, and system-wide investment in understanding autism in girls.

Summary

This youth-led study explores how students aged 13 to18 experience school-related stress, including those navigating or waiting for gender-affirming care. Findings from 37 respondents show that stress is widespread and often frequent, with many students feeling they lack effective ways to manage it during the school day. While schools have developed wellbeing services, there is a clear gap between the availability of support and how accessible or helpful it feels to students.

Key finding

• high levels of stress. All participants reported experiencing school-related stress, often frequently, with limited confidence in managing it within school environments
• trust and confidentiality barriers. Concerns about how personal information is shared can discourage students from seeking support
• environment impacts wellbeing: busy, structured school settings and limited access to quiet spaces make it harder for students to regulate compared to outside school
• gap between provision and experience. Although support systems exist, they are not always accessible, personalised, or responsive to student needs
• additional pressures for trans students. Long waits for gender affirming care, alongside concerns about safety and belonging, can increase emotional strain and impact engagement with learning.
• what works well. Trusted staff relationships and accessible, flexible spaces (drop-ins, sensory areas) help students feel supported

Key recommendations

• strengthen trust and transparency. Clearly communicate confidentiality processes and build safe, respectful relationships so students feel confident accessing support.
• improve access to support spaces. Provide flexible, low-barrier environments where students can regulate and seek help without unnecessary restrictions.
• increase personalised support. Adopt relationship-based approaches that recognise individual needs and avoid adding to academic pressure.
• create supportive school environments. Adapt routines and spaces to better support regulation and wellbeing throughout the school day.
• recognise wider contexts. Ensure staff understand and respond to external pressures (such as healthcare journeys) with consistency, empathy, and care.

Summary

This qualitative research highlights how autistic burnout is often overlooked. Based on a survey of six experienced professionals working with autistic young people in education and mental health services, it identifies systemic challenges and gaps between formal training and the neuro-affirmative support needed. The findings emphasise the need for better practitioner training, improved understanding of neurodivergent processing, and more flexible, low-pressure education environments that prioritise young people’s needs.

Key findings

Lack of specific training: The professionals surveyed reported a lack of training on autistic burnout both in mental health and education sectors. Some shared that their understanding of autistic burnout has been shaped by personal research or learning from colleagues who specialise in neurodiversity.

The impact of misdiagnosis: A lack of training across both the health and education sectors often leads to burnout being misinterpreted as behavioural issues, anxiety or depression.

Key recommendations

• Update professional training to prevent misdiagnosis. Professional development frameworks across health and education should include explicit training on identifying and supporting autistic burnout.
• Prioritise early identification and intervention. Resources and funding should focus on early intervention (frontline youth work and school-based Mental Health Support Teams) allows practitioners to spot masking fatigue and intervene proactively before a young person reaches the point of burnout or crisis.
• Create 'Burnout Recovery Protocols' for flexible education. School attendance policies should allow for formalised ‘Rest and decompress’ with a temporary attendance adjustment for autistic young people. This would allow autistic young people and their families a vital period of recovery free from the pressure of attendance percentages or fines for school absences.
• Co-design care protocols. All recovery and support plans should be created collaboratively, considering each young person’s individual needs, recognising there is no one size fits all solution.

“Through my research, I wanted to highlight how balancing education with significant caring responsibilities at home shapes their daily experiences”.
Young carer and youth researcher (Age 19)

Summary

13 young carers took part in this research project. A key finding is the gap between increasing awareness of young carers within the education system and their lived experience of receiving meaningful support. While visibility is improving, there is an opportunity to strengthen how awareness translates into consistent support. This highlights the importance of working together to bridge the gap between recognising young carers and taking supportive action.

Although 85% of respondents said their school is aware of their young Carer role, only 15% feel fully supported, highlighting a disconnect between awareness and lived experience.

A recurring theme is a lack of shared understanding of the daily realities faced by young carers. For example, caring-related challenges, such as lateness or missed deadlines, may sometimes be misunderstood as poor time management rather than recognised as part of their responsibilities.

There is an opportunity for schools and young people to work together to build understanding, strengthen communication, and bridge the gap between identifying young carers and providing meaningful, responsive support.

What young carers would like to see, from service and local authorities:

• support built around their experiences
• listen to ensure services are accessible, supportive, and able to fit around the realities of young carers lives.
• create safe and trusting spaces with flexible approaches, both in-person and online, to connect with others and share their experiences openly, without fear of judgement

What young carers would like to see from education settings:

• work with young carers to understand how to support them
• build understanding and flexibility; around deadlines and punctuality where caring responsibilities impact the school day
• create a culture where young carers feel believed, supported and respected
• creating spaces to thrive - a safe, quiet space within school can help young carers focus, catch up on work, and have time away from distractions