This Week in Mental Health
Kooth Digital Health
Effective personalised digital mental health care, available to all
This week’s mental health stories are a mix of tough truths and hopeful steps forward.
The NSPCC has called out major social media platforms for failing to protect girls from harm online — with 86% of UK adults agreeing that tech firms aren’t doing enough. It’s a stark reminder of the real-world impact of unsafe digital spaces.
But there are signs of progress too. In west London, a new youth centre is offering early, voluntary mental health support in a calm, welcoming environment — designed with young people, not just for them. It's part of a growing movement to meet young people where they are, before things reach crisis point.
There’s also important work happening behind the scenes. The MHRA is teaming up with lived experience experts to make sure mental health apps and tools are safe and genuinely helpful — a big step given how many of these tools are already out there, unregulated.
Closer to home, local voices continue to lead the way — whether it’s a young person in Bromsgrove sharing their journey with OCD, or a community conference in south west London bringing people together to push for more inclusive, culturally aware care.
Together, these stories show the urgent need for action — but also the power of listening, co-creating, and building support systems that truly reflect the people they’re meant to serve.
So, In case you missed it...
NSPCC research found social media platforms are exposing girls to grooming, harassment, and abuse. The children’s charity has commented that, tech firms “are not doing nearly enough to create age-appropriate experiences for girls.” They have criticised unsafe design features and called for “abusability studies,” cooling-off periods and stricter rules for adult contact. A YouGov poll found 86% of UK adults believe tech companies are failing to protect women and girls online.
Arc, a west London day centre (part of the Best for You project), is trialling a new approach to youth mental health by offering early, voluntary support to prevent crises and hospital admissions. Designed with teen input, the centre provides therapy and activities in a non-clinical space for young people and their families. Backed by CW+ and Novo Holdings, the model aims to become a scalable blueprint for crisis prevention, with pilots already running in Denmark and evaluations underway by Imperial College London.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, MHRA’s Holly Coole and lived experience advisor Grace Gatera highlighted efforts to ensure digital mental health tools, such as mood trackers, therapy apps, and triage systems, are safe, effective and shaped by user needs. With over 10,000 tools in use, many fall outside formal regulation. The MHRA is working on enabling regulation in digital mental health technology and separately working on a project with NICE and Wellcome to improve access to safe tools. The full story can be read here.
A local youth volunteer spoke with Bradley Thomas, Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, about his experiences with OCD, anxiety and depression during Mental Health Awareness Week. He highlighted the impact of lockdown and the life-changing support he received from a counsellor.
Over 150 leaders, clinicians, community partners, and people with lived experience gathered in Wimbledon for the South West London Mental Health Conference. The event focused on youth wellbeing, early support, inclusion, and anti-racism. Voices of lived experience featured throughout, calling for culturally appropriate care and crisis prevention.