About Us
We are a children's charity with a longstanding and multifaceted commitment to the emotional well-being of children. The Centre was established in 1947 by Anna Freud, one of the founders of child psychoanalysis whose work has had a profound and enduring influence on theories of child development. The Centre's original purpose was twofold:
- to help children in emotional distress
- to train child experts and conduct research into the best ways to help children suffering mental ill-health.
Today this twofold purpose is reflected in our activities as a Centre of Practice and a Centre of Learning.
As a Centre of Practice, our innovative clinical services offer treatment for distressed children and support and advice for parents. As a Centre of Learning we are dedicated to understanding children's emotional development through training mental health professionals, conducting pioneering research and advising practitioners, universities and governments around the world.
Click on the links below to learn more about the Anna Freud Centre:
- History of AFC
- About psychoanalysis
- About Anna Freud
- The Centre's origins in Anna Freud's wartime work with homeless, refugee and orphaned children
- The Anna Freud Centre's approach to evidence based practice
- People at AFC
- Press and media
- Vacancies
- How to find us
- Please click here if you would like to be kept informed about activities at the Centre via our quarterly e-newsletter.