For our Autumn team meeting, we got to visit the stunning new Life and Mind Building in Oxford where several of our teams are now going to be based. It was lovely to try out the new facilities as well as sharing progress and updating on activities across the project.

Dr Polly Waite, the new Deputy Lead of the Theme, welcomed us all warmly and led us through the packed agenda. In the morning, the teams reported on their recent activities – it seems that once again, everyone has been extremely busy!

Team Updates:

• WISDOM Schools Research Network: The team shared their ongoing work on recruitment in schools and partnerships with researchers. They are also working to build relationships with Mental Health in Schools teams (MHSTs). In terms of wider dissemination, they are progressing with publication reporting on network set up and on writing guidance and requirements for research partners.
• Parent Carer Research Network: Shanta Raj spoke about the one year anniversary of the network and how it now contains over 100 parents and carers across the United Kingdom. The goals moving forward are to increase diversity within the network and to create collaborative resources to support parents, carers, and researchers. Shanta also shared some thoughts on dealing sensitively with fraudulent participants which was something a number of teams had encountered over recent months.
• INSiGHTS: Dr Anna Lavis shared details of the recent fieldwork and engagement events which took place with charity partners in Cornwall and Leeds as well as the upcoming systematic scoping review and other papers. The INSiGHTS website contains a series of blogs about youth work and the dynamics of partnership working with more work planned. They are putting a lot of thought into how young people want to be heard and listened to in mental health research.
• Dr Yu Wei Chua shared an update from Liverpool from her on-going work on the role of early childhood environments in mental health inequality.
• Supporting Early Minds discussed their exciting new priority setting partnership with the James Lind Alliance. The Developing Child UK Priority Setting Partnership is asking parents and caregivers, practitioners, commissioners and policymakers to share the key questions they feel research should answer. Dr Michael Fanner shared the structure of the priority setting partnership, the proposed timeline as well as the various organisations which have already expressed interest. There are already signs of sectoral influence as Supporting Early Minds has already been approached by the NIHR Research Programme for Social Care Funding Committee who have indicated interest in their Top 10 priorities. The survey is expected to close in the first week of December 2025 and the link to participate can be found here: Tell researchers what you want to know about babies’ and children’s social and emotional wellbeing Survey
• The AnDY Clinic shared some of their staffing challenges which has reduced the number of families that they are currently able to see. They hope soon to relocate to the Life and Mind Building. They are also working with contract teams on ethical processes and approvals to ease research collaborations.

Celebrating Neurodiversity: The “Being Me” Project
After lunch, Dr Jo Billington (University of Reading) presented her seed-funded project Being Me, part of the Centre for Autism Wellbeing Hub. This fascinating project celebrates the strengths and differences of autistic young people and explores what thriving means to them. The Wellbeing Hub runs a range of evidence-based activities focused on autistic thriving for children, families and professionals.  To sign up to their monthly newsletter, please email autism@reading.ac.uk.

Exploring the AIM Digital Resource
The AIM team ran an interactive workshop introducing their upcoming AIM digital platform which is due to launch in January 2026. This brings together guidance and resources for developing studies, measures and interventions that target mechanisms relevant to young people’s mental health.

Attendees had the chance to explore the beta version of the site, offering feedback on its usability and design, and contributing ideas for how best to share and promote the resource once live.

Looking ahead

The meeting closed with a thanks to everyone for their thoughtful input, enthusiasm and ongoing collaboration. We left the Life and Mind Building with a sense of energy for the months ahead. With new partnerships and collaborations, exciting data emerging and more projects launching on the horizon, Mental Health in Development continues to grow in impact and reach.