Supporting Organisation: Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire
About Elli's fellowship project
Title: Before Breaking Point: A Co-produced Study of Barriers and Facilitators to Early Help-Seeking for Mental Health Among Young People Aged 13–17 in Central Bedfordshire
Mental health difficulties are rising among young people, yet many only access support once distress has escalated to crisis point. Central Bedfordshire faces particular challenges, including lengthy CAMHS waiting times and limited local evidence on why young people delay seeking help.
The study is structured across three interconnected work packages: capturing young people's perspectives; exploring professional perspectives with staff across CAMHS, Mental Health Support Teams, school pastoral teams, and Early Help; and integrating findings through a co-production workshop to develop practical recommendations for local services. A Young People's Advisory Group of 7 young people is embedded throughout, contributing to research design, data interpretation, and dissemination.
For Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire, the study strengthens its capacity to lead applied health research whilst deepening engagement with young people as active partners. For local services, the study will generate actionable, youth-informed evidence to improve early help pathways and reduce the number of young people reaching crisis before receiving support.
Contact Elli: Elli.margolius@healthwatch-centralbedfordshire.org.uk