I am interested in young people and their mental wellbeing in high and low/middle income countries, and coproduced research. I have an interest in schools as settings for promoting mental wellbeing, identifying problems and supporting young people. I am also interested in the role of parents and primary care in caring for young people with mental health problems and supporting them access care, especially during late adolescence/early adulthood. Due to my multidisciplinary background, I am also interested in the links between food/eating and mental health and wellbeing, and young person and family experiences accessing and receiving treatment for eating disorders.
I am involved in school-based mental health research and the development and use of an assessment platform, currently enabling schools to undertake yearly wellbeing measurements, but with scope for broader research use. I am leading on a project evaluating ethnic variation in access to eating disorder treatment, involving four NHS trusts in the West Midlands. I am also developing research proposals linked to mental health promotion/illness prevention in children and young people. As part of a team, I have just received funding to develop an intervention associated with commensality (eating together) to support student mental wellbeing. I co-lead the Public Mental Health module at Warwick Medical School. Previously, I was the scientific research manager on the EU-funded MILESTONE project (2014 to 2019), with nine interlinked work packages focusing on the transition of young people from child to adult mental health services. I coordinated the MILESTONE study, an 8-country cohort study with a nested cluster randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of 'managed transition'. Under my leadership, the MILESTONE team was highly commended for Public Engagement activities (University of Warwick awards, 2018) and won the MQ/NIHR award for Service User involvement in research. I am keen to take this research forward, with a focus on supporting young people access care after being discharged from specialist mental health services. My background is in food/nutrition and sociology, and I am an expert by experience (parent) regarding eating disorders. As former school governor and chair of governors, I have gained significant experience regarding schools. I have held research posts at a number of internationally renowned research institutions in the UK and abroad. In 2019, I was nominated for Individual University of Warwick Award for Inspirational Leadership. I enjoy PhD supervision and am currently supervising the following projects either as first or second supervisor: The acceptability of mental wellbeing and mental health screening in schools (Colin Palmer); Development and Pilot-testing of an intervention to improve the quality of life in children of parents with serious mental illness (Adeola Afolayan); Intensive Residential Outreach Care (IROC) model: experiences of and impact on staff and children and young people with complex psychological trauma and vulnerabilities (Bethan Cumber); Autism, Intellectual Disability and Clinical Practice: Competency, Suitability and Effectiveness of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: AIDE Study (Naomi Williams). I am also external supervisor for Trajectories of wellbeing; emotional wellbeing across adolescence (Jess Webster, Aston University). I am first supervisor for a MSc by Research project linked to Ethnic variations in access to treatment for eating disorders (Aliyah Williams-Ridgway). Previous PhD projects I have supervised include: Understanding why young people fall through the gap between child and adult mental health services and the associated impact and costs for young people, society, and the health service (Rebecca Appleton, Faculty thesis prize); Psychiatric hospital reform in low-income and middle-income countries; structured individualised intervention and recovery (SITAR) (Tasneem Raja); Mental health literacy of Sikhs in England (Ariana Kular);
- Tuomainen, Helena, McGowan, Rose, Williams-Ridgway, Aliyah, Guy, Katie, McNeil, Sheryllin, 2024. Protocol for a scoping review to identify research reporting on eating disorders in minority ethnic populations in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. BMJ Open, 14 (2)
- Canaway, Alastair, Appleton, Rebecca, van Bodegom, Larissa, Dieleman, Gwen, Frani?, Tomislav, Gerritsen, Suzanne, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Maras, Athanasios, McNicholas, Fiona, Overbeek, Mathilde, Paul, Moli, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Santosh, Paramala, Schulze, Ulrike, Singh, Swaran P., Street, Cathy, Tah, Priya, Tremmery, Bie, Tuomainen, Helena, Verhulst, Frank C et al (Select to open full list), 2023. Healthcare costs for young people transitioning the boundary between child/adolescent and adult mental health services in seven European countries : results from the MILESTONE study. BJPsych Open, 9 (5)
- Street, Cathy, Ni Chinseallaigh, Ellen, Holme, Ingrid, Appleton, Rebecca, Tah, Priya, Tuomainen, Helena, Leijesdorff, Sophie, van Bodegom, Larissa, van Amelsvoort, Therese, Franic, Tomislav, Tomljenovic, Helena, McNicholas, Fiona, Singh, Swaran P., 2023. Leaving child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) : the impact of diagnosis and medication management on optimal discharge or transition. Mental Health Review Journal, 28 (4), pp. 362-375
- 'Russet, Frederick, 'Humbertclaude, Veronique, 'Davidovic Vrljicak, Nikolina, 'Dieleman, Gwen C., 'Dodig-?urkovi?, Katarina, 'Franic, Tomislav, 'Gerritsen, Suzanne E., 'de Girolamo, Giovanni, 'Hendrickx, Gaelle, 'Kerbage, Hala, 'McNicholas, Fiona, 'Maras, Athanasios, 'Paramala, Santosh, 'Paul, Moli, 'Schandrin, Aur?lie, 'Schulze, Ulrike M. E., 'Street, Cathy, 'Tuomainen, Helena, 'Wolke, Dieter, 'Singh, Swaran P. et al (Select to open full list), 2022. 'Are psychiatrists trained to address the mental health needs of young people transitioning from child to adult services? Insights from a European survey. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12
- Appleton, Rebecca, Gauly, Julia, Mughal, Faraz, Singh, Swaran P., Tuomainen, Helena, 2022. Perspectives of young people who access support for mental health in primary care : a systematic review of their experiences and needs. British Journal of General Practice, 72 (716), pp. e161-e167
- 'Gerritsen, Suzanne E., 'Maras, Athanasios, 'van Bodegom, Larissa S., 'Overbeek, Mathilde M., 'Verhulst, Frank C., 'Wolke, Dieter, 'Appleton, Rebecca, 'Bertani, Angelo, 'Cataldo, Maria G., 'Conti, Patrizia, 'Da Fonseca, David, 'Davidovi?, Nikolina, 'Dodig-?urkovi?, Katarina, 'Ferrari, Cecilia, 'Fiori, Federico, 'Frani?, Tomislav, 'Gatherer, Charlotte, 'De Girolamo, Giovanni, 'Heaney, Natalie, 'Hendrickx, Ga?lle et al (Select to open full list), 2021. 'Cohort profile : demographic and clinical characteristics of the MILESTONE longitudinal cohort of young people approaching the upper age limit of their child mental health care service in Europe. BMJ Open, 11 (12)
- Appleton, Rebecca, Elahi, Farah, Tuomainen, Helena, Canaway, Alastair, Singh, Swaran P., 2021. ?I?m just a long history of people rejecting referrals? experiences of young people who fell through the gap between child and adult mental health services. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, pp. 401-413
- Santosh, P., Adams, L., Fiori, F., Davidovic, N., de Girolamo, G., Dieleman, G. C., Franic, T., Heaney, N., Lievesley, K., Madan, Jason, Maras, A., Mastroianni, M., McNicholas, F., Paul, Moli, Purper-Ouakil, D., Sagar-Ouriaghli, I., Schulze, U., Signorini, G., Street, Catherine, Tah, Priya et al (Select to open full list), 2020. Protocol for the development and validation procedure of the managing the link and strengthening transition from child to adult mental health care (MILESTONE) suite of measures. BMC Pediatrics, 20 (1)
- Signorini, Giulia, Davidovic, Nikolina, Dieleman, Gwen, Franic, Tomislav, Madan, Jason, Maras, Athanasios, Mc Nicholas, Fiona, O'Hara, Lesley, Paul, Moli, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Santosh, Paramala, Schulze, Ulrike, Singh, Swaran P., Street, Cathy, Tremmery, Sabine, Tuomainen, Helena, Verhulst, Frank, Warwick, Jane, Wolke, Dieter, de Girolamo, Giovanni, 2020. Transitioning from child to adult mental health services : what role for social services? Insights from a European survey. Journal of Children's Services, 15 (3), pp. 89-108
- Hendrickx, Gaelle, De Roeck, Veronique, Russet, Frédérick, Dieleman, Gwen, Franic, Tomislav, Maras, Athanasios, McNicholas, Fiona, Paul, Moli, Santosh, Paramala, Schulze, Ulrike, Signorini, Giulia, Singh, Swaran P., Street, Catherine, Tuomainen, Helena, Verhulst, Frank, Wolke, Dieter, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Tremmery, Sabine, 2020. Transition as a topic in psychiatry training throughout Europe : trainees' perspectives. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 29, pp. 41-49
- Appleton, Rebecca, Mughal, Faraz, Giacco, Domenico, Tuomainen, Helena, Winsper, Catherine, Singh, Swaran P., 2020. New models of care in general practice for the youth mental health transition boundary. BJGP Open, 4 (5)
- Hendrickx, Gaëlle, De Roeck, Veronique, Maras, Athanasios, Dieleman, Gwen, Gerritsen, Suzanne, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Russet, Frédérick, Schepker, Renate, Signorini, Giulia, Singh, Swaran P., Street, Cathy, Tuomainen, Helena, Tremmery, Sabine, 2020. Challenges during the transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services. BJPsych Bulletin, 44 (4), pp. 163-168
- Raja, Tasneem, Tuomainen, Helena, Madan, Jason, Mistry, Dipesh, Jain, Sanjeev, Singh, Swaran P., 2020. Psychiatric hospital reform in low-income and middle-income countries Structured Individualised inTervention And Recovery (SITAR) : a two-arm pragmatic randomised controlled trial study protocol. BMJ Open, 10 (5)
- Appleton, Rebecca, Connell, Catriona, Fairclough, Emma, Tuomainen, Helena, Singh, Swaran P., 2019. Outcomes of young people who reach the transition boundary of child and adolescent mental health services : a systematic review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, pp. 1431-1446
- Signorini, Giulia, Singh, Swaran P., Marsanic, Vlatka Boricevic, Dieleman, Gwen, Dodig-Curkovic, Katarina, Franic, Tomislav, Gerritsen, Suzanne E., Griffin, James M., Maras, Athanasios, McNicholas, Fiona, O'Hara, Lesley, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Paul, Moli, Russet, Frederick, Santosh, Paramala, Schulze, Ulrike, Street, Catherine, Tremmery, Sabine, Tuomainen, Helena, Verhulst, Frank et al (Select to open full list), 2018. The interface between child/adolescent and adult mental health services : results from a European 28-country survey. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 27 (4), pp. 501-511
- Paul, Moli, O'Hara, Lesley, Tah, Priya, Street, Catherine, Maras, Athanasios, Ouakil, Diane Purper, Santosh, Paramala, Signorini, Giulia, Singh, Swaran P., Tuomainen, Helena, McNicholas, Fiona, 2018. A systematic review of the literature on ethical aspects of transitional care between child- and adult-orientated health services. BMC Medical Ethics, 19 (1)
- Tuomainen, Helena, Schulze, Ulrike, Warwick, Jane, Paul, Moli, Dieleman, Gwen, Frani?, Tomislav, Madan, Jason, Maras, Athanasios, McNicholas, Fiona, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Santosh, Paramala, Signorini, Giulia, Street, Catherine, Tremmery, Sabine, Verhulst, Frank C., Wolke, Dieter, Singh, Swaran P., 2018. Managing the link and strengthening transition from child to adult mental health care in Europe (MILESTONE) : background, rationale and methodology. BMC Psychiatry, 18
- Paul, Moli, O'Hara, Lesley, Tah, Priya, Street, Catherine, Tuomainen, Helena, Signorini, Giulia, Santosh, Paramala, Maras, Athanasios, Purper Ouakil, Diane, Singh, Swaran P., McNicholas, Fiona, 2018. A systematic review of the literature on ethical aspects of transitional care between child- and adult-orientated health services. BMC Medical Ethics, 19
- Signorini, Giulia, Singh, Swaran P., Boricevic-Marsanic, Vlatka, Dieleman, Gwen, Dodig-Curkovic, Katarina, Franic, Tomislav, Gerritsen, Suzanne E, Griffin, James M., Maras, Athanasios, McNicholas, Fiona, O'Hara, Lesley, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Paul, Moli, Schulze, Ulrike, Street, Catherine, Tremmery, Sabine, Tuomainen, Helena, Verhulst, Frank, Warwick, Jane, de Girolamo, Giovanni, 2017. Architecture and functioning of child and adolescent mental health services : a 28-country survey in Europe. The Lancet Psychiatry, 4 (9), pp. 715-724
- Singh, Swaran P., Tuomainen, Helena, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Maras, Athanasios, Santosh, Paramala, McNicholas, Fiona, Schulze, Ulrike, Purper-Ouakil, Diane, Tremmery, Sabine, Franic, Tomislav, Madan, Jason, Paul, Moli, Verhulst, F. C., Dieleman, Gwen, Warwick, Jane, Wolke, Dieter, Street, Catherine, Daffern, Claire, Tah, Priya, Griffin, James M. et al (Select to open full list), 2017. Protocol for a cohort study of adolescent mental health service users with a nested cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of managed transition in improving transitions from child to adult mental health services (the MILESTONE study). BMJ Open, 7 (10)
- Tuomainen, Helena, 2015. Eating alone or together? Commensality among Ghanaians in London. Anthropology of Food, 14
- Craig, Christopher, Chadborn, Neil, Sands, Gina, Tuomainen, Helena, Gladman, J. R. F. (John R. F.), 2015. Systematic review of EASY-care needs assessment for community-dwelling older people. Age and Ageing, 44 (4), pp. 559-565
- Tuomainen, Helena, 2009. Ethnic identity, (post)colonialism and foodways : Ghanaians in London. Food, Culture & Society, Vol.12 (No.4), pp. 525-554
- Cox, Rosie, Holloway, Lewis, Venn, Laura, Dowler, Elizabeth, Hein, Jane Ricketts, Kneafsey, Moya, Tuomainen, Helena, 2008. Common ground? : Motivations for participation in a community-supported agriculture scheme. Local Environment, Vol.13 (No.3), pp. 203-218
- Holloway, Lewis, Kneafsey, Moya, Venn, Laura, Cox, Rosie, Dowler, Elizabeth, Tuomainen, Helena, 2007. Possible food economies : a methodological framework for exploring food production-consumption relationships. Sociologia Ruralis, 47 (1), pp. 1-19
- Venn, Laura, Kneafsey, Moya, Holloway, Lewis, Cox, Rosie, Dowler, Elizabeth, Tuomainen, Helena, 2006. Researching European 'alternative' food networks : some methodological considerations. Area, 38 (3), pp. 248-258
- Holloway, Lewis, Cox, Rosie, Venn, Laura, Kneafsey, Moya, Dowler, Elizabeth, Tuomainen, Helena, 2006. Managing sustainable farmed landscape through 'alternative' food networks : a case study from Italy. Geographical Journal, 172 (3), pp. 219-229
- Rahi, Jugnoo S., Manaras, Irene, Tuomainen, Helena, Hundt, Gillian, 2004. Meeting the needs of parents around the time of diagnosis of disability among their children : evaluation of a novel program for information, support, and liaison by key workers. Pediatrics, 114 (4), pp. E477-E482
- Cox, Rosie, Kneafsey, Moya, Venn, Laura, Holloway, Lewis, Dowler, Elizabeth, Tuomainen, Helena, 2008. Constructing sustainability through reconnection : the case of 'alternative' food networks. In Robinson, Guy (ed.), Sustainable rural systems : sustainable agriculture and rural communities, Aldershot, Ashgate, pp. 67-82
- Warwick, Jane, Bouliotis, Georgios, Wells, Philip, Yujin, Lee, Madan, Jason, Cannaway, Alastair, Tuomainen, Helena, Singh, Swaran P., 2019. Methodological issues in trials of youth mental health : what have we learnt during the MILESTONE study. International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference (ICTMC 2019), Brighton, UK, 6-9 Oct 2019, Published in Trials
- 'Tuomainen, Helena, 2022. 'Commentary : state of transitional care for emerging adults ? reflections on Anderson et al.. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, pp. 463-465
- Tuomainen, Helena, 2006. Migration and foodways : continuity and change among Ghanaians in London.
Title | Funder | Award start | Award end |
---|---|---|---|
MRC GACD: ISOBAR: Implementing Early Mental & Physical Health Detection & Support: Promoting a Whole-School Approach to Health & Well-being | MRC | 02 Oct 2023 | 01 Oct 2027 |
Studentship Agreement - Student to be appointed and project confirmed. | Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust | 01 Jan 2023 | 31 Dec 2025 |
MRC PHIND Reducing university student loneliness by supporting social connectedness via the 'LunchChat' app with a peer promotion element | Medical Research Council (MRC) | 01 Jun 2024 | 31 May 2025 |
Zines, emotional literacy and wellbeing in primary schools | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR DoH) | 01 Apr 2022 | 31 Mar 2023 |