Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

Our EDI strategy

Following the murder of George Floyd, we - like many other organisations - were forced to take a hard look at our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

In doing so, it became clear that the values that we aspire to were not matched by our actions, particularly when it came to being anti-racist organisation. We knew that we had to do better.

Our EDI strategy 2022-2026 affirms our dedication to being not just an anti-racist organisation but an organisation that actively supports all communities who have experienced discrimination, exclusion and violence.

Read our EDI strategy 2022-2026

Our commitment to being an anti-racist organisation

Racism is deeply ingrained in the UK’s cultural and social systems. We recognise the major impact it has on children and young people’s lives and mental health, and we commit to challenging it in all its forms.

Becoming an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation means taking an active role in disrupting structural and systemic racism, which impacts our ability to experience a sense of inclusion and belonging, and to take action where inequality and bias exists in our work.

“We owe it to those who have suffered racism and the children and families we serve to become a more diverse organisation. We need to listen to them, learn from them and understand them if we are to meet their needs. George Floyd’s legacy must be that all organisations should recoil from complacency and be vigilant, and acknowledge their responsibility to fight racism, discrimination and promote equity. We have been complacent. We know that we can, and must, do better.”

Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive, Anna Freud

The Halo Code

We champion the right of staff to embrace all Afro-hairstyles. We acknowledge that Afro-textured hair is an important part of our Black employees’ racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious identities, and requires specific styling for hair health and maintenance. We celebrate Afro-textured hair worn in all styles including, but not limited to, afros, locs, twists, braids, cornrows, fades, hair straightened through the application of heat or chemicals, weaves, wigs, headscarves, and wraps. In our workplace, we recognise and celebrate our colleagues’ identities. We are a community built on an ethos of equality and respect where hair texture and style have no bearing on an employee's ability to succeed.

Our commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community

We recognise that young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and other communities, are roughly two-and-a-half times more likely to have a mental health problem than young people compared to young people who identify as cis-gendered or heterosexual.

LGBTQIA+ young people also report higher rates of suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviour, mood and anxiety disorder symptoms, as well as emotional distress when compared to heterosexual young people.

We know that much of this distress is caused by rejection, or fear of rejection, and discrimination.

Some actions we have taken

• We have set up a staff LGBTQIA+ Network to feed into our EDI work.

• We have developed and shared resources and toolkits with thousands of schools on supporting LGBTQIA+ children and young people.

“There is no question that the way we, as a society, respond to the sexuality or gender identity of others is often detrimental to their mental health. It is profoundly wrong that people we know and love fear rejection from their friends and families, from their colleagues and workplaces, and feel vulnerable to abuse and fear violence, simply because of their sexual identity. "Being accepted is a human need. It is not a privilege to have that need met, but a basic right, one from which all other opportunities flow. When we can all assert our individuality and flourish, and when we have the respect we need to feel proud of who we are, we will have a fairer society.”

Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive, Anna Freud

Gender pay gap

We report on our gender pay gap every year. In our latest results (April 2023), our median gender pay gap was 16%, a fall of 8.1 percentage points since we began reporting data in 2017. We’ve put in place several actions to reduce this further. Read more and view all our reports on our Gender Pay Gap Report page.

Living wage employer

Anna Freud is a Living Wage Employer proudly working with the Living Wage Foundation to promote the real Living Wage. The real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. It is calculated each year and is announced by the Living Wage Foundation as part of Living Wage Week. It is currently £9.50 in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 for London, reflecting the higher costs of living in the capital. We exceed this by offering a minimum rate of £13.46 to our employees. This commitment applies to not only directly employed staff but also to our third party contracted staff. We ensure that all our third party contracted staff, such as our cleaners, are paid this enhanced rate.

Anna Freud Living Wage commitment applies to not only directly employed staff but also to our third party contracted staff. Anna Freud has ensured that all our third party contracted staff, such as our cleaners, are paid the real Living Wage.

Discover more about the Living Wage.

Other work on protected groups

We have established seven staff diversity networks in total; Antiracism, Anticlassism, Neurodiversity and Mental Health, Disability and Accessibility, LGBTQIA+, Faith and Community Organising. We are developing our plans to support those unprotected in law but identified as a priority, such as but not limited to those who are care-experienced, have caring responsibilities and those from a lower-socioeconomic background.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion affirms our ambition to actively support all communities who have experienced discrimination, exclusion and violence.