School-based screening for childhood anxiety problems and intervention delivery: A co-design approach

Abstract

Objectives: A very small proportion of children with anxiety problems receive evidencebased treatment. Barriers to access include difficulties with problem identification, concerns about stigma, a lack of clarity about how to access specialist services, and their limited availability. A school-based programme that integrates screening to identify those children who are most likely to be experiencing anxiety problems, with the offer of intervention, has the potential to overcome many of these barriers. This article is a process-based account of how we used co-design to develop a primary school-based screening and intervention programme for child anxiety problems. Design: Co-design. Setting: UK primary schools. Participants: Data were collected from Year Four children (ages 8-9 years), parents, school staff and mental health practitioners. Results: We report how the developed programme was experienced and perceived by a range of users, including parents, children, school staff and mental health practitioners, as well as how the programme was adapted following user feedback. Conclusions: We reflect on the mitigation techniques we employed, the lessons learnt from the co-design process, and give recommendations that may inform the development and implementation of future school-based screening and intervention programmes