Information for Schools

The Go-OSCA Trial is a University of Oxford research project we are running in the NHS, which aims to improve the care of young people aged 11-18 with social anxiety disorder. We are comparing a new online therapy called OSCA (Online Social anxiety Cognitive therapy for Adolescents) to standard treatment in the NHS.

The Go-OSCA project is funded by the MRC, with additional support from the NIHR and NIHR Oxford Health BRC. The project is delivered in collaboration with the AnDY Clinics in Reading and Oxford.

School-based screening and referral pathway

We are working with schools and colleges across Berkshire and Oxfordshire to identify young people aged 11-17 who may be eligible for treatment for social anxiety disorder as part of the Go-OSCA research trial.

Our school-based screening and referral pathway is a new way of identifying and supporting young people who may be experiencing difficulties with social anxiety. We use a brief three-item measure of social anxiety to identify young people who may benefit from support. Those who indicate that they would like support and are interested in the Go-OSCA treatment study may be offered a triage call with the research team. Parents or young people can opt out of taking part in the research before or during the screening process.

Where appropriate and with their consent, young people aged 16-18 years will be referred to their local service for treatment via the Go-OSCA trial. For young people under 16 years, we will ask for parent or carer contact details in order to discuss the possibility of referral to their local service for participation in the Go-OSCA trial.

Young people who are not deemed eligible for the Go-OSCA trial at triage will be given feedback and signposting information via telephone and/or email, along with a template letter they can send to their GP or care provider to help them access appropriate support.

The research team will also feed back the outcome of each triage to the young person's school pastoral care or support team.

Young people referred to local services will be offered a clinical assessment and, if still considered eligible for the Go-OSCA trial, the research team will seek consent for the family to participate.

If a young person is no longer deemed eligible following clinic-based assessment, or does not consent at this stage, but the assessment indicates that treatment would be beneficial, they will be offered treatment within the service or referred elsewhere in line with routine clinical procedures.

If the assessment indicates that treatment is not required, the young person may be discharged. All decisions will be clinically led and made in line with standard practice.

We are asking schools to:

Share information sheets with students and families at least 10 days before the screening session
Record the names of any student under 16 who has been opted out by their family, ensuring the student does not take part in the screening
Arrange a date for the research team to provide information about the screening and triage process during school time (either in person or via a recorded video)
Provide supervised time for students to complete the online questionnaire. Schools have so far told us that this works best in tutor time, when they have provided students with access to IT rooms or laptops (screening can happen on a class-by-class basis to help accommodate this)
Take part in a feedback call with the research team after triage

How can schools access support for their students?

Schools in Berkshire or Oxfordshire can contact the research team to discuss ways to get involved in the Go-OSCA trial.

Unfortunately, this research is currently limited to schools with students that are between 11 and 17 years old in Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Schools in other counties should access local mental health provision, for example by exploring support from their local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) teams.