Shape the future of children and young people's mental health
Children, young people, and their families are at the heart of everything we do. If you want to join a research study or help improve how research into children's mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions is done, we’d love you to be involved.
Research has helped me embark on my own journey and gain a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, both generally and personally.
Tiegan Boyens, Youth Research Panel Member, RE-STAR (Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience)
Take part in research
Each year we run a range of studies, including clinical trials, all focused on improving mental health support for children and young people.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is the top NHS Trust in England for research. In 2024-25, 6,400 people took part in a study.
Find a study that interests you, and we will guide you through the details of what you need to do.
You might choose to take part for many reasons, including to:
- Make a difference by helping improve treatments and quality of life for other children and young people in the future
- Help researchers learn new things that could change young people’s lives
- Help make sure research includes people from different backgrounds and experiences
- Take part in studies about conditions or experiences that matter to you
- Learn more about your own health and wellbeing
- Try new treatments
- Meet new people and develop new skills
- Receive vouchers, payment, or free health checks in some studies
Where to sign up
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM)
SLaM has a searchable directory of research studies.
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Maudsley (BRC)
The BRC is looking for patients to take part in research that contributes to better health for people with mental health conditions.
NIHR BioResource for Mental Health
Contribute to the BioResource - a large bank of biological, clinical and neuroimaging information that is used for research.
NIHR Be Part of Research
Be Part of Research is a free service which makes it easy to find and take part in vital health and care research across the UK.
Help shape our work
Joining a study is just one way to make an impact. Young people, parents, and carers play a vital role in shaping how we design, deliver, and share our research.
This could involve:
- Sharing your views to help shape new research ideas
- Helping make studies more relevant and accessible by sharing what works (and what doesn’t)
- Giving feedback on information sheets to make sure they are clear and easy to understand
- Helping design videos, posters, and other materials that explain research in engaging ways
- Trying out tools like surveys or apps to check they are easy to use
- Helping researchers understand study results by sharing what the findings mean from your perspective
- Advising on how results are shared with children, young people, and their families
Your experience helps ensure our research is relevant, inclusive and focused on what matters most to families. This is known as public involvement.