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About Anna Freud

We’re a pioneering mental health charity transforming care for children and young people through science, collaboration and clinical innovation.

Shaping the future of children and young people’s mental health

We’ve led the way in understanding and supporting children and young people’s mental health for more than 70 years.

Through our research, we shed light on why mental health problems develop and we design new approaches to prevention and intervention in partnership with children, young people, families and communities. We share our expertise by training clinicians, teachers and social care professionals, and by helping services and policymakers use evidence to improve the systems that shape young lives.

In a rapidly changing world, we champion fresh, practical approaches that foster trusted relationships to give every child the opportunity to thrive.

Everything we do is grounded in research, shaped by lived experience and designed to deliver practical, lasting change.

What we do

We focus on four core areas:

  • discovering new understanding through world-leading research

  • delivering ground-breaking training solutions

  • offering compassionate support and practical tools to those professionals who work with children and young people

  • sharing knowledge and expertise across systems and services

We listen to and learn from children, young people and families to shape better mental health support. Their experiences guide our work and help us build services, programmes and approaches that respond to real needs.

By working alongside professionals, communities and policymakers, we help improve the systems that shape children and young people’s lives.

  • Mental health training

    Our training helps professionals build confidence, strengthen practice and deliver effective support.

    Explore training
    Three members of Anna Freud staff facing each other, smiling in conversation during a training session.

  • School and college support

    We help schools and colleges develop mentally healthy environments through evidence-based training, programmes and services.

    School and college support
    A male teacher sitting next to two secondary school children pointing at a textbook, smiling.

  • Postgraduate programmes

    Through UCL postgraduate programmes at Anna Freud, students combine cutting-edge research with clinical practice in child and adolescent mental health.

    Postgraduate courses
    Two students from Anna Freud working together on a laptop.

  • Research and innovation

    Our research helps improve understanding of how mental health problems develop and identifies effective approaches to prevention and intervention.

    Explore our research
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  • Measuring mental health outcomes

    Outcome measurement is a key part of evidence-based mental health care. We offer tools and services to help you track and understand effective support and demonstrate impact.

    Explore tools
    Close-up of a psychologist's hands writing down notes about a patient in a notebook. The psychologist makes a social survey of the reference group. A professional is talking to a client.

  • UK Trauma Council

    The UK Trauma Council is an Anna Freud project, which creates evidence-based resources to equip adults supporting children and young people exposed to trauma.

    UK Trauma Council
    Parent/adult holding a child's hand.

  • Autism Central

    England's Peer Education Programme for families and support networks of autistic people of all ages. Access free resources, one-to-one peer support, and group learning events.

    Autism Central
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  • Mentally Healthy Schools

    Mentally Healthy Schools is a free website for UK primary, secondary, and FE settings, offering information, advice, and practical resources to promote pupils’ mental health and wellbein...

    Mentally Healthy Schools
    Four British primary school children wearing a red school uniform sitting on a wall smiling and raising their arms up in the air.

Our reach and impact

  • Ground-breaking training

    Over 24,000 education, research, mental health and wider professionals reached through training and events in 2024-2025.

  • Building a future workforce

    We support 500+ students per year through our UCL partnership, training the next generation of mental health professionals.

  • Delivering national programmes with real-world impact

    We lead the NHS-commissioned Autism Central programme, providing training, resources and peer support to thousands of families and carers across England.

  • Leading research that shapes policy

    Our landmark studies, like Growing Up in the 2020s and Education for Wellbeing, help to build understanding of children and young people’s wellbeing and inform national policy.

Our values

Our seven values shape everything we do - from our partnerships and programmes to the way we work with children, young people, families and professionals.

compassion

Compassion

We strive to understand the experiences and feelings of others, acting with empathy, reflection and humility.

inclusivity

Inclusivity

Children, young people and families are at the heart of our work. We listen, learn and collaborate with those across education, social care, health and community services.

collaboration

Collaboration

We maximise our impact by working in partnership and sharing knowledge, expertise and experience.

creativity

Creativity

We are imaginative in how we develop understanding, strengthen relationships and improve practice.

equity icon

Equity

We work towards fairness and recognise that inequalities affect children, young people and families in different ways.

courage

Courage

We pioneer new approaches, learn through experience and continue to challenge ourselves to improve.

integrity

Integrity

We act honestly and responsibly, guided by evidence and informed by the limits as well as the strengths of research.

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Help support our work

There are many ways to support our work and make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across the UK. With your support, we can reach more families and improve access to support when it’s needed most.

  • Donate: Your donation helps fund the programmes and services children and young people need most.

  • Fundraise: Whatever fundraising activity you wish to pursue, we'll help you get the most out of your experience.

  • Leave a gift in your will: Make a lasting difference to the mental wellbeing of the next generation.

  • Become a corporate partner: Use your organisation’s skills, resources and networks to support our work.

  • Become an Anna Freud Pioneer: Access exclusive opportunities and deepen your connection to our work.

  • Get involved: We’re always looking for people to get involved with our work, either by sharing your opinions, volunteering or participating in research.

  • Inform our work: Our Champions help ensure that the lived experiences of parents, carers and young people shape everything we do.

Learn more about Anna Freud

  • Our leadership team

    Meet the leaders who guide our work, provide governance and help shape our strategic direction.

    Read moreOur leadership team
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  • Our patron

    Find out about our Patron, Her Royal Highness Princess of Wales, and her role in supporting and championing our work.

    Read moreOur patron
    27/11/2025. London, UK. The Princess of Wales during a visit to children’s mental health charity Anna Freud, of which she is Patron. The Princess met the charity's Chief Executive, Professor Eamon McCrory, and discussed how Anna Freud is transforming mental health care for babies, children and young people through science, collaboration and clinical innovation. Her Royal Highness also met parents and carers helping to shape a new project from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The Princess then joined roundtable discussions with experts from Anna Freud, young people, educators and other guests on how to create communities where strong relationships can flourish, children and young people’s wellbeing can be better supported, and mental ill health is prevented. Picture by Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington Palace

  • Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

    Learn how we promote equity, diversity and inclusion across our work, workforce and partnerships.

    Read moreOur commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
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  • Our history

    Explore our history and the pioneering work of Anna Freud, whose legacy continues to shape our mission.

    Read moreOur history
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  • The Anna Freud Centre

    Our award-winning London building was purpose built to support new ways of working and improve the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of treatment.

    Read moreThe Anna Freud Centre
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  • Participation at Anna Freud

    Our Participation Strategy is our commitment to listen to and learn from the voices of children, young people, parents and carers in all aspects of our work. 

    Learn more
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  • News and blogs

    Stay up to date with the latest news and insights from across our work and sector.

    Read moreNews and blogs
    growing up in the 2020s study banner

  • Careers at Anna Freud

    Join our team and help make a difference to the mental health of children, young people and families.

    Read moreCareers at Anna Freud
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  • Our annual reports and financial statements

    Read our annual reports and financial statements, and learn how we manage and use our funding responsibly.

    Read moreOur annual reports and financial statements
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  • Our carbon reduction plan

    Climate change has a profound negative impact on all of us, and on mental health, so we’re committed to reducing our emissions and achieving net zero by 2030.

    Read moreOur carbon reduction plan
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  • Our gender pay gap reports

    Find out about men’s and women’s average pay in our organisation, what’s causing our gender pay gap and what we’re doing about it.

    Read moreOur gender pay gap reports
    Three Anna Freud staff in training, with a woman in the middle in focus during conversation. Two people in the foreground are out of focus with their backs to the camera.

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