Research

Research Overview

There is still much we don’t understand about how growing up online shapes young people’s sexual and social development. Our research aims to close that gap, building the evidence needed to recognise risk and need earlier, and design prevention and support that works.

Our work

• Evidence synthesis. We review existing research across topic areas to understand what the evidence says about sexual development in the digital age, the risks and impacts of online content, and what works in helping children and young people.
• Systems map. We put the evidence together to map the behaviours, actors, and influences on young people’s engagement with harmful online content, using behavioural science frameworks to identify where intervention could make the greatest difference.
• Pilot research. We are launching pilot studies (survey, interviews, and online forum data) for primary insights on the lived experience of young people, to test our hypotheses and begin to fill the research gaps.

Research Roadmap