9–15 February 2026
Children’s Mental Health Week has been empowering the voices of children and young people since it began in 2015, raising awareness of the importance of their wellbeing and mental health.
This year’s theme, “This is My Place”, focuses on belonging , supporting the systems around children and young people to help them feel safe, valued, and connected in their school or college environment and communities.
At a time when the pressures faced by pupils continue to evolve, understanding what truly supports their mental health has never been more important. That is why the WISDOM Schools Research Network supported by our BRC, is inviting schools, sixth form and Further Education (FE) colleges across England to get involved during this year’s campaign.
Belonging starts with understanding
Children and young people spend much of their lives in education, making schools and colleges central to creating a sense of belonging. The WISDOM Network works in partnership with educational settings and researchers to help facilitate high quality, realworld evidence and understanding of mental health and wellbeing. By taking part in research, your school can help shape support for pupils and their wider community including teachers, pastoral teams and families.
Why your participation matters
By joining the WISDOM Schools Research Network, your school or college can:
- Help shape the path of national mental health research
- Share best practice with diverse settings — mainstream, specialist, primary, secondary, and FE
- Access emerging evidence and insights to strengthen the school community’s knowledge, skills and strategies for children and young people’s mental health
- Help build understanding of what helps young people feel they belong
Your involvement helps ensure research reflects the experiences of the children and young people you support every day.
Dr Zoe Ryan, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford tells us: “When schools engage with research, the impact reaches far beyond the classroom. It helps us build evidence that reflects the real experiences of young people and the environments they learn in, as well as the school community as a whole. Children’s Mental Health Week reminds us how important it is to support systems that foster belonging, and through WISDOM we can achieve this together.”
What research are we doing?
WISDOM’s current projects provide opportunities to explore wellbeing in school environments, understanding mental health concerns at key points in development, and providing opportunities for young people’s voices about mental health issues to be heard. Schools play a crucial role in building this evidence base to ensure that systems are in place to help pupils feel safe, included, and supported.
Get involved this Children’s Mental Health Week
Let 2026 be the year your school supports the development of research–education partnership designed to facilitate the identification of mental health needs earlier and ensure children and young people can access effective, evidence‑based support when they need it.
How to take become a Network member school?
Find out more about the Network and how your school can join on our dedicated website. https://wisdom.mhid.org.uk/for-schools/get-involved/
Contact the WISDOM team for more information: wisdom.network@psy.ox.ac.uk
