National Institute for Health and Care Research

Parent Carer Research Network

✔ Are you a parent or carer? No other experience needed!

✔ Are you interested in sharing your opinion and experiences while getting paid?

✔ Are you looking to help make mental health research more relevant for all families?

If you said yes, keep reading as the Parent Carer Research Network might be for you. Or, if you are ready to join now, click the button below to sign up using our short online form.


About the network

This network has been set up to champion the voices of parents and carers in research.

We know that children and young people can experience a range of mental health difficulties at different stages in their lives. Mental health research helps to find a way to support children, young people, and their families, through shaping policy and improving services.

To have the biggest impact on children and young people’s mental health, it’s vital that the diverse experiences and voices of parents and carers from across the country are included in research.

Through the network, parents and carers can work with researchers to change how children and young people’s mental health research is done. This is where you come in…


Why get involved in research?

  • Share your experience so research can make a difference to children and young people struggling with mental health difficulties
  • Help other families so research is more relevant to them and represents diversity – across gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family structure, socio-economic status
  • Access helpful resources relating to young people’s mental health research from researchers, the Charlie Waller Trust, and the network team
  • Learn new skills, meet different people, and engage in new experiences
  • Influence what is researched to help improve services and systems – we know that services are struggling, research can help shape policy to improve this
  • Help make research more inclusive, accessible, and relevant to parents and carers.

What other parents and carers say…

I just want to help other parents since I survived through it all and I would like other people not to have to survive, but to thrive, looking after their loved ones.

It’s a way for parents and carers to use the experience they have, not only to help others, but to reconnect with the world – find a voice, be heard, make a future for themselves.


What does joining the network involve?

Important research across different areas of children and young people’s mental health

You will have access to a range of opportunities which you can find out about through a regular newsletter that comes straight to your inbox.

Based on your choice and interests

It’s up to you to decide which opportunities you are interested in getting involved in and what areas are relevant to your lived experience. You will have access to a website to find out more about each opportunity.

Different ways to get involved that work for you

There are various ways you can get involved, whether that’s joining discussion group to share your ideas, completing an survey, or being part of a group to advise how a project is done.

Flexible and accessible opportunities

You can give as much time as you have, and there is no obligation to get involved in anything. It is all based on your availability and interest. There will be opportunities to be involved online and in-person. All opportunities will promote equality, diversity, and accessibility, to create a safe and collaborative space for all those involved.


How do I join?

If you’re interested in joining the network you can sign up using our short online form which is hosted by the Charlie Waller Trust.


Who runs the network?

The network is guided by a steering group of parents and carers who have lived experience of supporting their children with mental health difficulties.

The network is facilitated and funded by the Charlie Waller Trust, in partnership with the Mental Health in Development (MHID) team based at the University of Oxford.


Get in touch

If you have any questions about the network, or issues filling out the online sign up form feel free to email us on parentcarerresearchnetwork@psych.ox.ac.uk.

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