At the start of 2025, we shared three areas we were focusing on as a centre. As the year comes to a close, this post offers a snapshot of what that looked like in practice. 💙💛

Important new paper published today showing dramatic increase in the number of young people in Wales in touch with Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services now compared to twenty years ago. @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social

🎉 Celebrating 50 YAG meetings! Thank you to every young person who has been part of the group. Your insight, honesty and creativity shape everything we do. Here are a few reflections from our members on the past, present and future of the YAG. 💬 Read the story: https://bit.ly/3KiIZ4w

Participate in our study on child development in Wales! 🌱 If you’re a parent or carer of a child aged 9–11, we’d love to hear from you. Visit bit.ly/ADHDbears and answer a short survey 📝 Your input will help us learn more about children’s development and support future research. 💡

Mental health difficulties among children and young people in Wales are still rising. A new joint statement, created with @PublicHealthW and young people from the Wolfson Centre, calls for early support, prevention, and stronger collaboration. phw.nhs.wales/news/rise-in...

Too Little, Too Late? Why Early Support for ADHD Matters | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/yout...

There’s still time to take part in the Skills for Adolescent wellbeing study (SWELL) - but not for much longer! The study focuses on protecting young people against depression and also offers support to parents experiencing low mood. Recruitment closes on 30 November 2025. 👉 https://bit.ly/wcSWELL

In her latest Psychology Today blog, Professor Anita Thapar highlights why we should be careful when interpreting studies linking maternal behaviour in pregnancy to ADHD. Many apparent links are shaped by genetics and family factors, not simple cause and effect. 🌐 Read more: https://bit.ly/4qTPRph

You can help us reach more families! If you work with young people or know parents or carers of children aged 13 to 19 year olds in Wales, please share our Skills for Adolescent Wellbeing (SWELL) study and help us close recruitment by 30 November. 🔗 https://bit.ly/wcSWELL

Taking part in research can feel like a big decision - but you won’t be doing it alone. Families participating in the skills for adolescent wellbeing study (SWELL) will be supported every step of the way.  Learn more and sign up 👇 🔗 https://bit.ly/wcSWELL

October is ADHD Awareness Month! 🧠❤️ This year’s theme, “The Many Faces of ADHD,” celebrates the diversity of experiences among people living with ADHD. In our latest blog, Dr Sharifah debunks seven common myths about ADHD and explains what research really says. 🔗 Read the blog: bit.ly/7adhdmyths

📰New study explores mental health research priorities of families affected by depression ➡️Several key priorities emerged, see which ones on our website: 🔗 www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...

📰New research from the Wolfson Centre finds that children with sound sensitivity (hyperacusis) are more likely to experience anxiety in adolescence. ➡️ Could screening for sensory sensitivity help early identification of at-risk youth? 🔗 www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...

We’re launching a new study on child development in Wales! 🌱 If you’re a parent or carer of a child aged 9–11, we’d love to hear from you. 🧩 Taking part is easy: visit bit.ly/ADHDbears to know more. Your input will help us learn more about children’s development and support future research. 💡

🚨 Only 7 days to go! Have you registered for the next online Wolfson Centre Lecture? Let's go! bit.ly/wolfsonbk ---------- 🚨 Dim ond 7 diwrnod i fynd! Ydych chi wedi cofrestru ar gyfer Darlith ar-lein nesaf Canolfan Wolfson? Awn! bit.ly/wolfsonbk #wolfsonlectures #youthmentalhealth

Apply to do a PhD investigating the link between neurodevelopmental and anxiety disorders across development, with me, Laura Howe, @franrice.bsky.social and Abby Russell as part of the @gw4alliance.bsky.social Deadline 20th October Please share! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

🌍 Today is Youth Mental Health Day, a reminder of the importance of coming together to share support 💚 We’re hosting a free webinar for primary school staff in Wales on ADHD in children, led by Dr Joanna Martin from the Wolfson Centre on October 7. 🔗 Find out more: adhd-at-school.eventbrite.co.uk

💫Join us for our next Wolfson Centre Lecture! We will welcome Professor Brandon Kohrt to talk on building a skilled workforce for child and adolescent mental health in humanitarian settings. Book you free place here: bit.ly/wolfsonbk See you there! 😊 #wolfsonlectures

🔊 VACANCY - please share! Research Associate - RISE (Reducing Inequalities in School Food Environments: Supporting provision, uptake and consumption of Free School Meals in primary schools). ✅ Full-time. Fixed term until 31/03/28. ☑️ Closes: Friday, 29/08/2025. More info 👉 bit.ly/4miHBw8

Pleased to share our latest paper where we used two genetically informed designs to examine irritability as a causal risk pathway to depression, using data from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (CATTS)! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social

🗞️ New on the website! Researchers call for more respectful language in ADHD research ➡️ Read it here: www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...

📝Curious to hear about the Wolfson Summer School through the eyes of our students? Read about Pelin's journey on our blog - link also in bio! ➡️ https://bit.ly/ss25pk

Attending @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social's young people's mental health summer school. Interesting talk from Prof Stephan Collishaw. Key take aways: there really is a worrying increase in prevalence of MH problems in young people (not just a reporting issue) and outcomes are getting worse.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Wolfson Summer School! 💙To our attendees who were super engaged 💛To our speakers for sharing their knowledge and insight. 💙To our summer school and Wolfson Centre team for making it happen! #WolfsonSummer25 over and out 🎤 (we will be back next year!)

NEW PAPER: “Individual and School Environment Predictors of Mental Health and Wellbeing Across the Primary-to-Secondary School Transition” Led by Dr Caitlyn Donaldson @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social @deciphercentre.bsky.social link.springer.com/article/10.1...

An energising trip this week to Cardiff to give a talk on declining youth mental health at @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social and spend time exploring public health lenses and opportunities with Rhiannon Evans at @deciphercentre.bsky.social Heading off to make copious notes and explore grant pathways!

Help shape a new study on ADHD in children in Wales. 📣

🌴Our online Summer School in youth mental health research is almost here!  Still haven't sent your application in? No worries! You have until 9 June to fill in the form 👉http://bit.ly/wolfsonsummerschool We can't wait to see you there! #wolfsonsummer25

🗞️ Major new Horizon Europe grant to advance research on child maltreatment services A new €6.3 million initiative will bring together researchers from 12 countries, Yulia Shenderovich from the Wolfson Centre is leading @cardiffuni.bsky.social involvement. www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...

If this is of interest to your young people please contact the @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social directly.

Are you a clinician or practitioner working in the field of youth mental health? Register now for our Clinical Spotlight with Professor Samuele Cortese💡 📅 25 June at 2pm - The event is free to attend and will be held online. Register now! ➡️ bit.ly/WolfsonCS4 #wolfsonlectures #clinicalspotlight

2 new papers led by Charlotte Dennison @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social Early Manifestations of Neurodevelopmental CNVs in Children: A Population-Based Investigation www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S000... The role of rare CNVs in early-onset depression www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

We're looking for families in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 who are interested in helping us shape our research on ADHD working with @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social & @thencmh.bsky.social at Cardiff University. Please help us spread the word! 😊

New on the blog: The power of community and feeling like you belong 🌎🫂 In this blog, Lauren reflects on the Mental Health Awareness Week theme – community. She shares her journey with mental health and highlights the importance of community for young people.  Read the full blog 👉 bit.ly/4iZenjG

🚨 Only 7 days to go! Have you registered for the next online Wolfson Centre Lecture? Let's go! bit.ly/wolfsonah ---------- 🚨 Dim ond 7 diwrnod i fynd! Ydych chi wedi cofrestru ar gyfer Darlith ar-lein nesaf Canolfan Wolfson? Awn! bit.ly/wolfsonah #wolfsonlectures #youthmentalhealth

Together for better mental health 💚 This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we're celebrating the power of community — and the role it plays in helping us feel safe, supported and connected. At the Wolfson Centre, community is an important part of what we do.  #MHAW2025 #TogetherForMentalHealth

💫Join us for our next Wolfson Centre Lecture! We will welcome Professor Alex Havdahl to talk on avoidant and restrictive eating difficulties in childhood. Book you free place here: bit.ly/wolfsonah See you there! 😊 #wolfsonlectures

Are you 14-16 years old with lived experience of mental health conditions? Join our Youth Advisory Group! We want to put the experiences and voices of young people at the heart of our work. 🤝 ➡️ Read more: https://bit.ly/WolfsonYAG

The applications for the Wolfson Summer School are currently open 🥳 Last year we had students from over 20 countries! Where will you be joining us from? 🌎💫 ➡️ Check out the news piece: bit.ly/4lx6BjF ➡️ Apply: bit.ly/wolfsonsummerschool

🔉 We’re hiring! Join our team as a Research Assistant and help uncover the genetic foundations of youth anxiety and depression. Be part of cutting-edge work to understand causes and improve how we support young people. 👉 We’d love to hear from you – apply now: bit.ly/CU19787BR

New on the blog: How my ADHD journey shaped my PhD💡🎓 In this blog, PhD student Isabella Barclay discusses their recently published paper on ADHD diagnosis and shares their personal motivations, key findings, and next steps in their research journey. 🌿💙 Read the full blog 👉 bit.ly/42pV10U

🧠🌍 New study led by Dr Jessica Armitage compares youth mental health in the UK and Brazil. Findings highlight evolving challenges across contexts and call for global action to reduce disparities. 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/43FJrRA

✨ New fully-funded PhD opportunity starting Oct 2025 at the Brain & Genomics Hub at Cardiff University ✨ Title: Using early developmental predictors to understand heterogeneity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia @thencmh.bsky.social @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

🔎Want to know more about the research we do at the Centre in an accessible and fun format? Check out the sixth edition of our Research spotlight. 🔦 Sign up to our mailing list and receive a Research Spotlight in your inbox every quarter! https://bit.ly/wolfsonnewsletter

📝Curious to hear about the Wolfson Summer School through the eyes of our students before applying? Read about Wiwit's journey on our blog ➡️https://bit.ly/ss24wiwit Applications for the Summer School are currently open, learn more and apply: ➡️https://bit.ly/wolfsonsummerschool

📚 Research shows perceived schoolwork pressure in Wales has doubled over two decades, linking to rising emotional difficulties. 🔎 Led by Dr Jessica Armitage, the study highlights the need to investigate why these pressures are escalating. 📖 https://bit.ly/3XUxhAs @deciphercentre.bsky.social

Early manifestations of neurodevelopmental CNVs in children: A population-based investigation www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S000... New work led by Charlotte Dennison @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social

#SiHLive fantastic exhibitors engaging our #SiHLive audience @thencmh.bsky.social @wolfsoncentre.bsky.social @pharmacycu.bsky.social @abpi.bsky.social

📢 Are you 18+, attending or have recently attended a sixth form/further education college? 🗨️ Help researchers to design and evaluate SaFE, a project which aims to improve sexual health and reduce dating and relationship violence and sexual harassment among young people. More info👉 bit.ly/3R8nd2X

Well, this is cool!👍👏 Wolfson are hosting an online Summer School, aimed at 'prospective researchers who are interested in moving into or learning more about the field of youth mental health research' Sign up and learn more here www.cardiff.ac.uk/wolfson-cent...