Neurodiversity week 2026: New OCD comic designed to help school staff recognise OCD patterns and respond in supportive, practical ways

School of Education research student, Libby Colbert, has co-created a resource shaped by the lived-experience insights and expertise of children and young people with OCD, their parents/carers, and educational professionals.

Cartoon illustration of a girl with a speech bubble saying "You're not real, you're just my OCD"

The OCD comic has been designed to help school staff recognise OCD patterns and respond in supportive, practical ways in everyday school life.

Libby said, "We were mindful that traditional psychoeducational materials can sometimes feel too clinical or easy to disengage from, particularly in busy school contexts, so we wanted to use a more creative approach that could communicate key messages in an accessible and memorable way. A comic format offered an opportunity to combine accurate information with storytelling and visual representation, helping to convey not only what OCD can look like in children, but also something of the fear, distress, and misunderstanding that can accompany it. By making the resource emotionally engaging as well as informative, we hope it helps teachers build empathy, challenge common misconceptions, and feel more confident in recognising and responding supportively to pupils with OCD."

Download the OCD Comic and Information Sheet  (PDF, 57 MB)