“I feel like we experience it differently to them…” A participatory approach to school mental health services

Morgans, Ceri 2025. “I feel like we experience it differently to them…” A participatory approach to school mental health services. EdD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, both in the UK and globally, is a growing concern, with evidence of increased anxiety and depression. Schools in Wales are central to Welsh government strategies for responding to these issues, with the introduction of counselling and the adoption of a whole-school approach framework. While a wealth of research has examined prevalence, risk factors and barriers to access, there is less insight into how young people themselves perceive school-based mental health support, and how services might be designed from their perspective. The study adopts a children's rights framework to explore how pupils understand and experience school-based mental health support services. Using a mixed methods design, it combined survey data with semi-structured, paired interviews and a pupil focus group. Findings highlighted both structural and cultural barriers to support, such as a lack of clarity about how to access services, stigma and long waiting lists. There were clear gender differences, with girls more likely to identify barriers and boys more often describing personal challenges in relation to help-seeking. Pupils also identified facilitators to accessing services, such as positive relationships with staff and a variety of support services, and suggested improvements, including greater autonomy in accessing services and person-centred provision. This study contributes to the existing literature by foregrounding the perspectives of young people. It demonstrates that even where provision is available, pupils often experience services as difficult to access or not responsive to their needs. Implications include the importance of meaningful pupil participation, ensuring that young people's views are heard by those in a position to act upon them, strengthening mental health literacy, and ensuring that services are co-produced with pupils. In doing so, schools can move toward more accessible support models that align with children's rights.

Item Type:	Thesis (EdD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 March 2026
Last Modified:	23 Mar 2026 13:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185930

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