Universal School Interventions 2
Project overview
The McPin Young People’s Network have previously worked with a researcher at UCL to co-produce ways to prevent or reduce the mental health inequalities faced by sexual (e.g. lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) and gender (e.g. trans, non-binary, gender diverse) minority (SGM) young people in schools, as research has shown they are more likely to experience depression and anxiety than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. We have partnered with a researcher, Ishrat Pabla at UCL, who is doing some more research about young LGBTQ+ people’s mental health looking at mental health inequality between LGBTQ+ and heterosexual/cisgender adolescents in schools.
Through previous research with an advisory group of young LGBTQ+ people from the McPin Foundation on Universal School Interventions, the researchers found that:
- universal school interventions aimed at whole school populations and inclusive school environments that promote diversity and acceptance
- early interventions for preventing poorer mental health outcomes for young LGBTQ+ people
Would lead to a reduced likelihood of poorer mental health outcomes for young LGBTQ+ people.
They also previously found that this mental health inequality emerges early (at around 11/12 years of age), peaks at age 16, and persists to adulthood. Therefore, interventions to prevent or reduce these mental health inequalities, should begin in early adolescence.
In relation to the topic of this project, the study team will also be working with some of the young people to evaluate the impact of compulsory Relationship and Sex Education (RSHE) on the mental health of sexual and gender minority (SGM) students and identify social policies that may have affected the mental health of SGM youth.
Project details
This research is important because as far as we know, there have been no studies that have investigated the impact of educational policies on the mental health of sexual and gender minority young people in the UK. This mental health inequality is due to stigma, discrimination, and prejudice. Educational policies that promote inclusion could therefore improve mental health of SGM young people.
Understanding the impact of RSHE is important in today’s increasingly volatile socio-political climate for SGM youth. This project is timely given an ongoing government consultation that may roll back SGM inclusive curriculum. These changes are likely to disproportionately impact trans and gender-diverse individuals. The focus on young people is important because their developmental stage makes them particularly vulnerable to certain social inequalities and, therefore, to the effects of social policies.
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We are running the lived experience involvement in the project, working with a Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG) of young people aged between 13-25 with lived experience of being a young LGBTQ+ person who is in or recently left school. The YPAG will advise on the project, drawing from their lived experiences to shape the project and provide critical feedback.
In relation to this project, some of the young people from our YPAG will also be involved in joining and co-facilitating stakeholder engagement workshops. These workshops will be with SGM youth, third sector sexual and gender minority organisations and policy experts to inform the understanding of the current policy landscape, it’s impacts on mental health and how to engage stakeholders in future work.
Please get in touch with [email protected] for more information on this project.
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