New public lecture series focused on youth mental health

A public lecture series featuring internationally acclaimed academics will launch next month, organised by the Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health.

The interdisciplinary research centre at Cardiff University is focused on understanding the causes of anxiety and depression in young people and ways to improve youth mental health and wellbeing. The launch of its own public lecture series is just one of the many new developments underway at the Wolfson Centre.

Organised by Dr Yulia Shenderovich and Dr Lucy Riglin, the lecture series will feature one-hour talks every month from international academics and policymakers, linked with the Centre’s work in the field of youth mental health.

Dr Riglin said: “We are really pleased to be leading on this exciting new lecture series. The Wolfson Centre has strong links with world-leading academics from around the globe and we hope this series will showcase the experts we have across the UK as well as our international collaborators.”

Dr Shenderovich added: “We are fortunate to have depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise across disciplines in Cardiff University but also wonderful international connections. This lecture series offers an opportunity to strengthen these collaborations with esteemed academics from around the world and we are thrilled our first invited speaker will be Professor Lucie Cluver.”

The first online lecture in the series will be delivered by Lucie Cluver, Professor of Child and Family Social Work, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford and the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town.

Professor Cluver said: “It’s a real privilege to give the first lecture in this new series from the Wolfson Centre team.

"The past two years have been intensely stressful for children and families. The COVID pandemic has increased adult, child and adolescent mental health distress, alongside poverty and extended lockdowns. In addition, humanitarian crises such as Syria, Afghanistan and now Ukraine are forcing families to care for children under constant physical and mental health danger.

“In this talk, we will discuss attempts to innovate - at speed - to provide the best evidence-based support to families in emergencies.”

Dr Riglin concluded: “We hope this timely and important topic will be of interest to a wide-reaching audience. Registration is now open for next month’s talk and the public lecture is free to attend.”

Professor Cluver’s virtual talk, Parenting in Emergencies: Evidence and innovation to support children and their caregivers,  will take place on Tuesday 26th of April at 2 pm.

Register online now.