Learning Disabilities & Autism

The latest Learning Disabilities & Autism bulletin is ready for you to view at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/learning-disability-autism/2026/01/27-january-2026-2/


In this edition:

  • Symptom change in depression and anxiety during psychological therapy for autistic adults
  • Influence of posture during mastication on body composition and nutritional intake in individuals with Down syndrome
  • Autism Act: government response to Lords Select Committee report
  • NSPCC produces new resources on puberty and learning disabilities
  • Demand for occupational therapy mounts due to multiple and complex long-term conditions
  • Study now recruiting: Inclusive Talk
  • Plus much more

Please let me know if you think there are other people who would benefit from receiving this and I will add them to the mailing list.

Thank you

Depression & Anxiety Bulletin

The latest Depression & Anxiety Bulletin from Mersey Care Evidence and Library Service is ready for you to view at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/depression-anxiety/2026/02/2-february-2026/

In this edition:

  • Supporting student mental health after natural disasters: What role can schools play?
  • Long-term effectiveness and side-effects of intranasal esketamine in treatment-resistant

depression: real-world, single-arm study of over 100 sessions

  • Epidemiologic features of depression and anxiety among homeless adults with healthcare

access problems in London, UK: descriptive cross-sectional analysis

  • Are play and screen time associated with British preschoolers’ mental health? Cross-sectional

findings from the British Preschool Children’s Play Survey

  • Plus much more

Please let us know if there are other people who you think might benefit from receiving this bulletin.

Suicide Prevention Bulletin

The latest Suicide Prevention and Self Harm bulletin from Mersey Care Evidence and Library Service can now be viewed at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/bulletins/suicide-prevention/

This webpage features key links and emerging reports about suicide prevention.

In this issue:  
   

  • Generating actionable insights to support point-of-care suicide risk decision-making in a safety-net healthcare system: a machine learning approach to predicting dynamic risk of intentional self-harm
  • Child and Family Characteristics as Predictors of the Severity of Self-injurious Behaviours in Autistic Children and Adolescents
  • Initial Suicide‐Related Disclosure Characteristics, Motivations, and Outcomes Based on Sexual Orientation
  • Translational Needs: Informing Tools to Close the Knowledge‐to‐Practice Gap in Suicide Prevention
  • Plus much more

Please let me know if there are any other colleagues who you think might benefit from receiving this bulletin

Gambling awareness update and new research insights

Several new reports published in 2025 offer important insight into gambling related harm and how services, communities and systems can respond more effectively.

A synthesis report from GambleAware shares learning from a three year national marketing campaign focused on reducing stigma around gambling harm. The findings highlight the value of open conversation, non judgemental language and clear routes to support in helping people feel able to seek help earlier.

Another report from the Tavistock Institute showcases impactful practice across joined up local systems. Drawing on nine case studies from England, Scotland and Wales, it demonstrates how stronger partnership working can create more integrated and accessible support for people affected by gambling related harms.

Research led by the University of Brighton focuses on gambling and gambling harms within LGBTQ plus communities. The findings explore how experiences of discrimination, mental health challenges and substance use can intersect with gambling behaviour, and underline the importance of inclusive and culturally sensitive support.

Finally, the State of the Nation report from GambleAware brings together evidence on gambling harms among children and young people in Great Britain. It highlights patterns of risk, the influence of digital environments, and the need for prevention, education and early intervention.

Together, these resources offer valuable learning for anyone working in mental health, public health, education or community services, and reinforce the importance of compassionate, evidence based approaches to reducing gambling harm.

All reports are freely available via the GambleAware publication library: Publication Library – Gambling Research, Evidence & Statistics

Reading Well for Families

We’re excited to introduce Reading Well for Families, a new book collection designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of parents, carers, and families from pregnancy to age two—a period known as the critical “first 1,001 days.” Informed by health professionals and lived experience, this evidence-based collection offers information, personal stories, advice, poetry, and illustrated titles addressing parental wellbeing, perinatal mental health (including anxiety, depression, OCD, birth trauma), and coping with loss (like miscarriage or neonatal death).

These titles are available to borrow for free—browse books in our library or online. Reading Well for Families is part of the broader successful Reading Well programme, known for its positive impact on wellbeing.

Depression & Anxiety Bulletin

The latest Depression & Anxiety Bulletin from Mersey Care Evidence and Library Service is ready for you to view at https://www.evidentlybetter.org/depression-anxiety/2025/07/8-july-2025-2/

In this edition:

  • Ten-year health plan misses the mark for mental health
  • NHS App could offer AI-driven mental health support
  • Harnessing digital innovation for children’s mental health
  • One in four young people in England have mental health condition, NHS survey finds
  • Plus much more

Please let us know if there are other people who you think might benefit from receiving this bulletin.

New ONS Report Reveals Elevated Self-Harm and Suicide Rates Among LGB+ Adults

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released a ground breaking analysis linking 2021 Census data with NHS records, revealing that adults identifying as LGB+ in England and Wales face significantly higher rates of self-harm and suicide compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

Key Findings:

  • The age-standardised rate of intentional self-harm for LGB+ individuals was 1,508.9 per 100,000 people between March 2021 and December 2023, compared to 598.4 per 100,000 for heterosexual individuals.
  • The suicide rate among LGB+ adults stood at 50.3 per 100,000 people, more than double the rate of 23.1 per 100,000 observed in heterosexual adults.
  • Bisexual individuals exhibited the highest self-harm rates within the LGB+ group, at 1,669.5 per 100,000 people.
  • The risk of self-harm was notably higher among LGB+ females, with a rate 2.8 times greater than that of heterosexual females.
  • Young adults aged 16 to 24 identifying as LGB+ had a self-harm rate 2.8 times higher than their heterosexual peers.

These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted mental health support and suicide prevention strategies within the LGB+ community.

Read the full report: ONS – Self-harm and suicide by sexual orientation, England and Wales