FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE
An introduction to the Green Paper project
In the Green Paper project, we will explore how helpful the new mental health support teams at schools are.
Part 1: Surveys
What will I be asked to do?
If you are going to receive mental health support at school, we will ask you to complete surveys on how you have been feeling lately and what you find easy or difficult.
What will I be asked about in the surveys?
You will be asked questions about how your mental health and wellbeing are at the moment.
You will be asked how you have been feeling lately, if there is anything you find difficult, or anything that makes you unhappy or anxious. Topics include emotions, worries, and getting along with people.
You will also be asked to give some details about you such as your age and gender.
If you do not feel comfortable answering a question, you can skip the question or choose “Prefer not to say”.
You answers will only be able to be seen by the researchers and the wellbeing team at your school.
When will I do the surveys?
If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete the surveys at three different times:
- Before you start getting mental health support
- At the end of your mental health support
- Nine months after we sent the first surveys
Part 2: Discussion
What will I be asked to do?
After you finish having the mental health support, we will also invite you to talk with the researchers about your experience receiving support.
You do not have to take part in the conversation if you don’t want to and you can choose to complete the surveys without having the conversations if you prefer. This will not affect whether you get mental health support.
What will happen during the conversation?
During the conversation, we will ask you questions about your experience of having mental health support at your school – what did you find helpful and unhelpful?
You can choose whether you are spoken to on your own or in a small group.
We may also allow you to talk with your parent/carer there if you would feel more comfortable.
Your answers will be made anonymous, which means that we will create a secret code to replace any information that may let someone guess who you are.
Why would you like me to take part?
As a young person, your views are really important to us to find out what works best to support young people from all backgrounds.
Getting involved in the Green Paper project will be a positive step forward to help us improve the mental health and well being of school pupils in England.
Do I have to take part?
No, you do not have to take part in this study if you don’t want to.
Not taking part will not affect whether you get mental health support.
You can also complete the survey part of the study (part 1) but not have the conversation (part 2) if you would prefer.
If you are under 16, both you and your parent/caregiver will need to agree to you taking part in the study before you do so.
What happens if I change my mind about taking part? / Am I allowed to stop taking part?
Yes, you are allowed to stop taking part in the study at any time, and you do not need to provide a reason why.
You can continue receiving mental health support at school but will not be sent any more surveys or invited to talk about your experience.
What's the point of this study? / How will it help me?
By taking part in this study, you will allow the researchers to find out more about how helpful the mental health support at your school is and why.
This way, we can improve mental health support at school and work to put mental health support teams in schools across the country. Taking part will help to benefit the happiness of current and future school pupils.
Who should I speak to if I have a question?
We have a box where you can write any questions on our Contact us page, where we can answer your question in an email using the address you provide.
Or, you can ask the mental health support staff at your school who will be telling you about the study.