Seeking help in Bradford
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative investigation of young people’s experiences of accessing mental health support in Bradford, UK: A two-phase study
IRAS ID
372071
Contact name
Dan Lewer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
Mental health problems in young people, and referrals to mental health services, are increasing. In the UK, mental health services are struggling to cope with the additional demand and do not have enough capacity. This means that many young people with mental health problems face long waits for support, struggle to navigate a complex system, and many receive no treatment at all. Young people and families told us they are frustrated by the experience of receiving multiple assessments and referrals from different agencies but not receiving useful support.
Seeking Help in Bradford is a qualitative study which seeks to answer the question: How do young people experience accessing mental health support, and how can these experiences inform service improvement?
In Phase 1, young people (n=15-20) aged 12-16 who are receiving, or on the waiting list to receive, mental health support in Bradford will take part in a semi-structured interview about their experiences of accessing mental health support. The interview will be centred around a timeline activity in which participants map their service journeys chronologically. In Phase 2, a summary of findings from Phase 1 will be shared with mental health practitioners in Bradford (n=5-6) who will take part in a semi-structured interview which will focus on practitioners’ responses to the findings.
Interviews will take place at a location of participants’ choosing (e.g. mental health service; Bradford Institute for Health Research; participant’s home; Microsoft Teams), and are expected to last no more than one hour.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/EM/0144
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jul 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion