Evaluating Mental Health in Schools: Tools, Challenges, and Collaborative Solutions for Success

…with Dr Charlotte Bagnall and Annie O'Brien

In this episode, Charlotte and Annie discuss the complexities of mental health and wellbeing interventions in schools with me. We explored the challenges of evaluating these programs in real-world settings, the development of child-centered measurement tools, and the decision-making processes schools use when selecting interventions. Our conversation highlighted the importance of stakeholder collaboration, context-sensitive evaluation, and balancing evidence with practical realities. We agreed that while there are no easy answers, ongoing research and co-production with educators and students are essential for creating effective, sustainable mental health support in schools.

Key discussion points:

• Discussion on mental health and wellbeing programs in schools.

• Evaluation and measurement of school-based interventions.

• Challenges in implementing mental health interventions in real school settings.

• Development of new measurement tools for children's emotional wellbeing.

• Importance of context in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.

• Decision-making processes for selecting mental health interventions in schools.

• Role of stakeholder collaboration in designing relevant programs.

• Consideration of opportunity costs in intervention implementation.

• Recognition of gradual and long-term benefits of social-emotional learning.

• Need for qualitative feedback to inform intervention adaptations and improvements.

To hear Prof Neil Humphrey's interview here is the link: https://changingstatesofmind.libsyn.com/beyond-social-media-and-smartphones-factors-affecting-youth-mental-health-with-prof-neil-humphrey