What is happening to young people’s mental health?

In this episode, Richard Westcott talks to Gordon Harold, Anna Moore, and Olympia Campbell. about the growing rates of mental health issues among young people. They discuss the key determinants and the most effective ways to support young people's mental health.

Our experts examine whether mental health among young people is truly worsening or if we're simply getting better at identifying it. They unpack the key factors shaping mental health today, delve into the role of the digital world, and discuss how policies can evolve to expand support and access to services for young people.

This episode is hosted by Richard Westcott (Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus), and features experts Prof Gordon Harold (University of Cambridge), Dr Anna Moore (University of Cambridge) and Dr Olympia Campbell (IAST). 

• Season 4 Episode 2 transcript
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With thanks to:

• Audio production by Steve Hankey
• Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
• Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Aurore Carbonnel

More information about our host and guests:

Richard Westcott is an award-winning journalist who spent 27 years at the BBC as a correspondent/producer/presenter covering global stories for the flagship Six and Ten o’clock TV news as well as the Today programme. In 2023, Richard left the corporation and is now the communications director for Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, both organisations that are working to support life sciences and healthcare across the city. @BBCwestcott

Gordon Harold is the inaugural Professor of the Psychology of Education and Mental Health at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on three areas: the impact of family dynamics on child and adolescent mental health, the interaction between genetic and family factors, and the promotion of evidence-based practices to enhance youth mental health outcomes. He serves on several advisory groups, including the UKRI-ESRC’s Data and Infrastructure Expert Advisory Group and the Department for Work and Pensions Science Advisory Committee.

Anna Moore is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Assistant Professor in Child Psychiatry and Medical Informatics in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge and Clinical Consultant in Paediatric Psychological Medicine. Dr. Moore’s group, Timely, is developing a new preventative approach for managing children’s mental health problems. To make this possible, the Timely team is building the infrastructure and systems required to enable rapid digital innovation and implementation in paediatrics. 

Olympia Campbell is a Research Fellow at the IAST. She received a PhD from University College London in 2023 prior to joining. Her research focuses on elucidating the ecological and demographic correlates and causes of gender-biased outcomes, with a particular focus on the role of marriage practices, such as cousin marriage. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing from global health, genetics, evolutionary biology, and anthropology. @OLKCampbell