Professor Harry Sumnall

Our latest Researcher of the Month, Professor Harry Sumnall, is leading a team of researchers at Liverpool John  Moores University to adapt and test a school drug prevention programme aimed at older teens (aged 15-18). 

 aims to develop teens' skills so that they can make healthier and safer choices when it comes to drug use, avoiding fear mongering approaches of the past that were designed to scare young people, and which we now know to be ineffective. The programme is fully aligned with the national RSHE curriculum in England and with the health and wellbeing curriculum in Scotland.

This evidence-based approach is currently being tested in the North West of England and Scotland. 

The researchers are still looking for more schools

, so if you work in a setting based in these areas and would like to be involved in the trial, please 

 and we'll put you in touch with the research team. You can find out more about what participation involves 

Professor Harry Sumnall is a specialist in substance use prevention science and drug policy. His work spans epidemiology, behavioural science and public health, with a particular focus on reducing harms associated with alcohol and other drug use. Professor Sumnall leads multidisciplinary research on the causes, consequences and prevention of substance use harms, bringing together expertise across public health, psychology, criminology and related fields to inform policy and practice at national and international levels. His research has examined the effectiveness of prevention interventions, the implementation of evidence-based policy and the social and structural determinants of harm, including stigma and access to services. He's contributed extensively to government and international advisory work, is a member of the UK Government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, where he chairs the Prevention Standing Committee and regularly provides evidence to parliamentary and policy processes. His work is widely recognised for its impact on public health strategy, prevention frameworks and the development of evidence-informed responses to substance use across diverse populations.

Professor Harry Sumnall is a specialist in substance use prevention science and drug policy. His work spans epidemiology, behavioural science and public health, with a particular focus on reducing harms associated with alcohol and other drug use. 

What Does Effective Drugs Education Look Like? Lessons from The Illicit Project UK

Professor Nils Jostmann

We often assume that positive feedback will always encourage people to keep trying hard. However, 

 by our latest Researcher of the Month, Professor Nils Jostmann, and his co-author Professor Eddie Brummelman, suggests that praise and encouragement can sometimes have the opposite effect, and that how and when we give feedback really matters.

Feeling positive about our progress on a task, or believing that we are doing better than we expected to, can sometimes act as a cue that less effort is needed, causing us to work less hard or 'coast'. Positive feedback may therefore have unintended consequences. Rather than spurring us on, it can sometimes encourage us to ease off because we feel confident that we are already doing well enough. Professor Jostmann's recent research sought to explore this further, examining whether the timing of positive feedback influences whether it boosts motivation or inadvertently undermines performance.

Professor Nils Jostmann was raised in Germany as one of three sons of two teachers, which instilled in him a passion for psychological influence and for teaching. Following high school and civil service, he quenched his thirst for adventure by moving to the Netherlands to study social psychology. After obtaining his PhD and spending a short period at Northwestern University in the United States, he joined the social psychology group at the University of Amsterdam, where he has been working ever since as an assistant professor and senior lecturer. Professor Jostmann is interested in how people can motivate themselves and others to engage in effortful activities despite an initial lack of motivation. Together with his students and colleagues, he has been investigating why some people find it easier to motivate themselves than others, and which psychological processes can be targeted to boost motivation. Although much of his research aims to understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying motivated behaviour, he also applies these insights in his collaborations with high schools. In addition to his work on the psychology of education, Professor Jostmann has been involved in projects on sustainability and environmental behaviour.

Professor Jostmann is interested in how people can motivate themselves and others to engage in effortful activities despite an initial lack of motivation.

Making feedback more motivating: lessons from new research

Dr Sophie King-Hill

Dr King-Hill's research with young people has found that many many boys and young men today are grappling with how masculinity is defined and expressed, and many are struggling. 

We're In This Together, Reframing Masculinity for Young Boys and Men

. This free, practical and accessible resource  is designed for educators and parents or carers, and is packed with thoughtful guidance and realistic strategies to help the boys and young men growing up in our care to thrive. We'd recommend that all of our Tooled Up parents and educators download and read it.

Dr Sophie King-Hill is an Associate Professor in the Health Services Management Centre. She specialises in sexual behaviours and assessment in children and young people, sexual health, sibling sexual behaviour and abuse, masculinity, relationships and sex education, and the importance of youth voice. Much of her work is cross sector, cross disciplinary and centred around participatory and co-design approaches with young people. Dr King-Hill also has an interest in policy implementation, transfer and success frameworks, and evaluation strategies. She's currently a policy fellow at the Cabinet Office working on the Safer Streets mission. Previously, she worked extensively in the third sector in the field of education and sexual health with many diverse groups such as teenage parents and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Dr Sophie King-Hill specialises in sexual behaviours and assessment in children and young people, sexual health, sibling sexual behaviour and abuse, masculinity, relationships and sex education, and the importance of youth voice.

Reframing Masculinity: Tips for Parents and Teachers Supporting Boys

Professor Maria Loades

Our latest researcher of the month, Professor Maria Loades, is currently seeking teens aged 13 - 17 to take part in a new study.  Her 

 trial will test the efficacy of digital, single session, self-help interventions, which have been designed to help young people in need of mental health support to feel more hopeful, more in control, and less sad or low.

In the UK, there is currently a huge gap between the need for mental health support and access to help for young people. We know from a wide body of research that many young people feel unable to ask for help when experiencing depression symptoms. Whilst around 3% of young people are in contact with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at any point in time, this is only a very small percentage of those impacted by depression, anxiety or stress. In fact, at least one in three young people has at least some symptoms of depression, and one in 10 might meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. 

There are several reasons why many young people do not seek, or receive, the support they need. Adolescence is a time of growing independence, and many teens prefer to manage difficulties on their own, speak to friends or look online, rather than reach out to adults for help. Although stigma has reduced, concerns about how others might perceive them, and uncertainty about what support is available, can also hold them back. Practical barriers also play a role. School and clinic hours often overlap, and services are not always easily accessible. Alongside this, there is a shortage of trained therapists in the UK, leading to high thresholds for support and long waiting times, even for those who do seek help.

Even more interestingly, of those young people who do seek formal support, almost 50% stop attending after just one session. Whilst one session may be sufficient for some, other young people may disengage due to practical challenges, or because the first session did not meet their expectations, even when further support was available.

Given the shortcomings of the current model of support, 

  by Professor Loades and her team has identified a need for additional help that is scalable, barrier free and available on demand. 

After pilot tests, she's now planning a full randomised controlled trial to evaluate a series of self-guided, digital, single-session interventions for teens, and she's looking for volunteers. The interventions were originally developed by Professor Jessica Schleider in the 

 in the US, where they showed beneficial effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety as much as nine months after the intervention. They have been adapted by Professor Loades and colleagues for UK use.

Professor Maria Loades is a clinical psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath. She trained as a clinical psychologist at the University of East Anglia and has worked extensively in NHS mental health services, particularly within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Her research focuses on adolescent mental health, with a particular emphasis on improving access to early, evidence-based support for young people experiencing depression and anxiety. She leads the 

LAMP (spotLight on Adolescent Mood Problems) research programme

, which aims to develop and evaluate scalable interventions, including digital and single-session approaches.

Professor Maria Loades's research focuses on adolescent mental health, with a particular emphasis on improving access to early, evidence-based support for young people experiencing depression and anxiety. She leads the 

Empowering young people to overcome low mood and boost wellbeing

Professor Joel Talcott

Our latest Researcher of the Month, Professor Joel Talcott, is one of a team of researchers and educators who have worked on a new universal screener for all Year 1 children in the UK, which will be made freely available to all teachers this Autumn.

Within the UK education system, formal identification of SEND typically involves ascribing diagnostic labels, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or ADHD, based on under-attainment in one or more educational outcomes, compared with age-related expectations. However, access to assessment and diagnosis is challenging, and it is currently not equitable for all. The cost of missing children’s needs has serious personal consequences, as pupils underachieve due to unidentified barriers to learning. It also has wider and significant economic costs to society as a whole.

Professor Talcott's new universal screener will address this issue. It offers a simple screening tool, which teachers are initially advised to use with 

 pupils during the first term of Year 1. 

Supported by government funding through a special educational needs innovation initiative, the Universal Classroom will be delivered via a freely accessible web platform, allowing any school or teacher to use it at no cost.

Joel Talcott is Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at Aston University. His research employs a multimodal framework spanning genetics, neuroimaging and cognitive neuropsychology to investigate the mechanisms underlying typical and atypical development of reading, mathematics and associated learning processes. He leads the Universal Classroom Project, an initiative developing scalable digital tools for early screening and guidance to support diverse learners in educational settings. Professor Talcott contributes regularly to evidence-informed policy development through collaboration with education sector organisations and government bodies, providing scientific insight into the mechanisms underlying learning variability, their early identification and how they can be equitably addressed within education.

Professor Joel Talcott investigates the mechanisms underlying typical and atypical development of reading, mathematics and associated learning processes. He leads the Universal Classroom Project (launching in Autumn 2026), an initiative developing scalable digital tools for early screening and guidance to support diverse learners in educational settings. 

The Universal Classroom: A New Free Screening Tool for Year 1 Teachers

Daphne Ling

While there have been many empirical studies of childhood ADHD, there have been few qualitative studies investigating first-hand accounts of the lived experiences of children. Much of the literature focuses on the perspectives of parents or teachers, rather than centring children’s voices. But what are children's thoughts, feelings and experiences? Our latest Researcher of the Month, PhD candidate Daphne Ling, has recently 

 which begin to address this research gap. 

Daphne Ling is a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Her research examines how stimulant medications affect executive functioning in children with ADHD as well as in neurotypical young adults. Executive functions (EFs) are cognitive processes such as concentration, selective and focused attention, cognitive flexibility, problem‑solving and working memory, and are important skills for success in today’s world. Her work aims to improve evidence‑based standards of care to help children with ADHD thrive academically and in daily life, and she hopes that more children’s voices can be heard in research.

Daphne Ling is a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Her research examines how stimulant medications affect executive functioning in children with ADHD as well as in neurotypical young adults. Her work aims to improve evidence‑based standards of care to help children with ADHD thrive academically and in daily life, and she hopes that more children’s voices can be heard in research.

Children's Experiences of ADHD

Dr Maria Korochkina

? This long-overdue initiative reflects growing concern and renewed commitment around children’s reading and literacy.

“The ability to read opens up worlds. Reading enables children to progress into post-primary education and provides the basis for lifelong learning and prosperity into adulthood”.

Frequent readers tend to have a stronger understanding of both their own and others’ emotions. They are often better able to communicate these emotions, a skill linked to higher emotional intelligence and improved mental wellbeing. Reading also encourages cause-and-effect reasoning and helps children imagine scenarios beyond the immediate moment - developing the skill of -future-thinking'. A rich vocabulary underpins learning across the school curriculum, strengthens thinking and communication skills, and predicts both academic attainment and later life outcomes. Research consistently shows that 

the most effective way to build vocabulary is through reading

However, learning to read well is not quick or effortless. The 

, requiring high-quality classroom instruction alongside sustained practice through independent reading. For many children, this process is painstaking, demanding consistent teaching, encouragement and opportunity over time.

Against this backdrop, recent evidence presents a worrying picture. 

Fewer children are reading for pleasure than ever before.

 In 2024, only one in three UK children and young people aged eight to 18 reported enjoying reading in their free time. Even more strikingly, just one in five said they read daily for pleasure, the lowest level recorded since the National Literacy Trust began collecting this data in 2005.

This matters because reading ability and reading enjoyment are deeply intertwined. Children who find reading effortful are far less likely to choose to read independently. Dr Korochkina’s research highlights how early reading experiences shape later habits: difficulties with phonic and morphological knowledge in the early stages of reading acquisition can have a snowball effect, reducing confidence, fluency and motivation over time.

Her work also offers a powerful note of optimism. Books that children actively choose to read, including contemporary, popular texts, provide rich opportunities to develop vocabulary, particularly when children read widely. Ensuring access to a diverse range of engaging reading material, alongside strong early instruction, can play a vital role in building both reading skill and reading motivation.

Fostering confident, motivated readers requires long-term commitment. It is not enough for children simply to have books available to them. They need skilled teaching, time, practice and a culture that values reading as both a skill and a pleasure.

Dr Maria Korochkina is a psychologist at Aston University, whose research explores how we acquire linguistic knowledge and how our experience with language shapes learning across different domains and throughout life. She combines methods from cognitive science and neuroscience to investigate these questions. Dr Korochkina has strong expertise in applied statistics and is a dedicated advocate for transparency and reproducibility in research. She is equally passionate about making science accessible to the wider community and amplifying diverse voices in research to drive meaningful societal change. Dr Korochkina completed her MSc at the University of Potsdam (Germany) and her PhD at Macquarie University (Australia). She is currently a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prize Fellow (tenure-track) in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment at Aston University. In 2023, her work was recognised with the Credibility Prize by the British Neuroscience Association. The work we are highlighting in this article was conducted whilst Dr Korochkina was a postdoctoral researcher in the Rastle Lab (

) at Royal Holloway, University of London. Learn more about her research 

Dr Maria Korochkina is a psychologist at Aston University, whose research explores how we acquire linguistic knowledge and how our experience with language shapes learning across different domains and throughout life. She combines methods from cognitive science and neuroscience to investigate these questions.  The work we are highlighting in this article was conducted whilst Dr Korochkina was a postdoctoral researcher in the Rastle Lab (

The power of reading: books, vocabulary and learning

Professor Julia Davidson OBE and Dr Ruby Farr

As the most digitally connected generation so far, young people today face new challenges. Our latest Researchers of the Month, Professor Davidson and Dr Farr, have found that in the last decade, an increasing number of young people (particularly young men) have committed serious cybercrime offences, particularly hacking and money laundering. Their 

, written following a large research project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, seeks to understand the drivers behind this trend. It explores a range of potential factors that may lead young people to engage in risky online behaviours, and to identify effective pathways for prevention.

 is Professor of Criminal Justice and Cybercrime and Executive Director of Research, Impact and Innovation. She is also Director of the Institute for Connected Communities and the Child Online Harms Policy Think Tank (launched 2025). She is one of the UK’s foremost experts on advocacy, policy and practice in child safeguarding, online harms/safety and youth cybercrime. She is Chair of the UK Council for Internet Safety Evidence Group and provides expert advice to international and national organisations such as the Technology Coalition, UNICEF, the US Sentencing Commission, and the UN ITU, the Home Office and the DCMS. She is a member of the Europol EC3 Expert Academic Advisory Committee and acted as Chair of the Research Ethics Committee to the Independent Inquiry into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. Her expertise was key to the development of the national child protection policy and five year plan in Rwanda and continues to work with partners across Africa to safeguard and protect children online.

 is a Research Fellow at the University of East London, Institute for Connected Communities, and a recognised scholar in the field of cyber violence and online harms, examining the intersection between evolving technologies and human behaviour. She has worked in the area of social justice for almost two decades, driving evidence-led policy and practice, with the past seven years dedicated to understanding and tackling harms in cyberspace. She holds an Honours degree in Criminology and a PhD awarded by scholarship in 2022, focused on understanding the long-term impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACES). Throughout her career, Dr Farr has collaborated with Members of Parliament, law enforcement agencies, charities, academic institutions, Government authorities and other third-sector organisations. Her expertise explores how technology has reshaped criminality, societal norms, human behaviour and lived realities.

Professor Julia Davidson OBE is one of the UK’s foremost experts on advocacy, policy and practice in child safeguarding, online harms/safety and youth cybercrime. Dr Ruby Farr is a Research Fellow at the University of East London, Institute for Connected Communities, and a recognised scholar in the field of cyber violence and online harms, examining the intersection between evolving technologies and human behaviour. 

Pathways into and Out of Youth Cybercrime

, is scheduled for publication this month.

Crossing the line into cybercrime

Dr Nomisha Kurian

Children and young people are now growing up surrounded by AI, and the landscape is shifting fast. 

 suggests that around half of children aged 8–17 regularly use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bard or Snapchat’s MyAI. Many describe these interactions as feeling like conversations with a friend. A recent 

 found that 33% of teens had actually chosen to talk to an AI companion instead of a real person about something important or serious.

Whether children are asking voice assistants to answer their questions, relying on chatbots for bedtime stories, using learning apps for revision or engaging with large generative AI models, it’s essential to remember that most of these systems were built with adults in mind, not children. They often assume levels of attention, memory and emotional maturity that younger users simply don’t have. Even older children and teenagers, who increasingly use AI as a supportive confidante (often without adult supervision or knowledge), are still learning to navigate boundaries around trust, identity and emotion.

Our latest Researcher of the Month, Dr Nomisha Kurian, wants this to change. She has developed a new framework called Developmentally Aligned Design (DAD), which outlines how AI can be built with children’s needs, vulnerabilities and strengths at its core. She also 

, sharing practical tips on recognising when children may be relying too heavily on AI for emotional connection, how to talk to them about healthy boundaries, and how parents and educators can help children and young people use AI tools safely, creatively and critically.

Dr Nomisha Kurian completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge and researches how artificial intelligence impacts children's wellbeing and how to make AI safer for children. She is the first education specialist to win the University of Cambridge Applied Research Award for "outstanding real-world impact" and also the recipient of the Cambridge Vice-Chancellor's Social Impact Award for "exceptional achievement in social change". Alongside her role as Assistant Professor at the University of Warwick, she is also an Associate Fellow at the University of Cambridge Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence.

Dr Nomisha Kurian researches how artificial intelligence impacts children's wellbeing and how to make AI safer for children. 

 proposing a Developmentally Aligned Design (DAD) as a practical and ethical framework for building AI systems that meet children where they are, cognitively, socially and emotionally. 

Supporting Children’s Use of AI

Chiara Fehr

As part of the early stages of her PhD study, our latest researcher of the month, Chiara Fehr, ran several focus groups about experiences of TikTok with eight 17 year old girls. Using creative methods, such as  ‘TikTok show and tells’ a collaging session and a utopic mapping exercise, Chiara is exploring whether dominant narratives around growing up in a digitised world reflect the real life experiences of teens, and has summarised her findings so far in a 

Chiara Fehr's research looks into algorithmically facilitated self making amongst teenagers, exploring how platform infrastructures, such as that of TikTok and Instagram influence iterations of contemporary girlhood. Central to her work is an interest in the complex gendered inequalities which emerge in an increasingly digitised world.

Researcher of the Month

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