AnDY Research Clinic

Who we are

The AnDY Research Clinic in Oxford is a collaboration between:

• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS
• The Oxford Psychological Interventions in Children and Adolescents (TOPIC) research group at the University of Oxford
• AnDY Research Clinic at the University of Reading

The clinic receives support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC)

The purpose of the collaboration is to develop new mental health interventions that meet the needs of a diverse range of children and young people.

This will be achieved by delivering a cutting-edge, early intervention psychology service within Oxford Health CAMHS capable of supporting clinical research – i.e., AnDY Research Clinic in Oxford.

What we do

The Clinic offers assessments and evidence-based psychological treatments to children and young people aged 5-17 years.

Our treatments are helpful for people experiencing difficulties with anxiety, depression, and/or obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour, which cause significant distress or significant problems in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

All the psychological treatments offered are time-limited and brief (i.e., 6-8 sessions) and typically delivered by Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) under the supervision of a senior Clinical Psychologist.

We usually work on a one-to-one basis with children/young people or their parents/carers either in person or online.

Information for professionals

The AnDY Research Clinic is open to any child or young person eligible for care through Oxford Health CAMHS who meets the following criteria:

1. Age 5-17 years.
2. Meets DSM-V (or equivalent ICD11) criteria for a primary diagnosis of at least one anxiety or depressive disorder or OCD.
3. The disorder is causing significant distress and/or impairment in everyday functioning (e.g., social, educational, and/or emotional development).
4. Able to access and benefit from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed treatment (e.g., motivated to change; able to identify and differentiate between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours; maintenance processes known to be responsive to CBT; has an adequate social support network).
5. Not already completed a brief, evidence-based psychological intervention for the target problem.
6. Not at high risk of significant harm to self, to other, or from others to the point where managing risk needs to be the primary focus of any intervention (i.e., not in crisis).
7. Not diagnosed with a moderate-severe learning disability (i.e., IQ <70). Existing brief, evidence-based interventions for anxiety and depression have not been sufficiently evaluated with this population.

If autism and/or ADHD has been diagnosed or is suspected, then help should have been accessed from the local autism support service for families (e.g., to help young people and families understand autism and adjust the social and physical environment in ways that may lead to a reduction in emotional distress).

All decisions about whether to accept a referral or offer an intervention will be guided by assessment, formulation, and the evidence base. An intervention will not be offered unless it is clinically indicated, including in circumstances when alternative and more appropriate support is unavailable.