A UNIVERSITY has been awarded £2.5 million to expand its research into the mental health of children and young people.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced the grant for the Ormskirk-based Edge Hill University on October 10, World Mental Health Day, as part of its Mental Health Research Leaders Award.

Project has St Helens focus

The university will use the funds to establish a new research project, focusing on St Helens, Knowsley, Wigan, and the wider North West, where there are high numbers of people with mental health conditions.

The project aims to increase participation in mental health research, improve the diversity of research studies, and ultimately lead to better treatment and support for children and young people.

Considerable challenges

Professor of Primary Care Greg Irving, who is leading the project, said: "Children and young people in the North West face considerable mental health challenges.

"Anxiety and depression rates exceed national averages, hospital admissions for mental health conditions among under-18s and self-harm rates in the North West are among the highest in the country.

"Primary and secondary care services are overwhelmed and efforts to improve community mental health services for this group are hindered by financial constraints and service cuts.

"Everyone should be able to access the mental health support they need regardless of where they live.

"This new mental health research will ultimately help to reduce health inequalities because we’ll have a better understanding of the causes of poor mental health and be able to tackle the issue in the places where people are most affected."

Centre for excellence

The project, supported by the University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, and the NIHR North West Coast Applied Research Collaboration, will establish a Centre of Excellence for mental health asset-based community interventions.

This will serve as a hub for interventions and provide support to tackle complex mental health challenges in the North West and beyond.

Edge Hill University is one of two institutions awarded funding under NIHR’s Mental Health Leadership Award as part of a £27 million investment in mental health research.

Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR, said: "Mental health issues can affect any of us.

"We know that more researchers and research participants will lead to better treatments and support for people and communities affected by mental health issues.

"These Mental Health Research Groups will target the mental health research to the areas that need it most, meaning we can quickly start to make a real difference in key areas such as young people’s mental health and addiction."