Current research projects
Anna Freud’s research units lead a wide range of ongoing studies aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people, and families. Our work spans early years, childhood, and adolescence, covering intervention evaluation, service effectiveness, and the development of assessment tools.
Explore our current research projects
Explore our current research projects, from understanding adolescent depression and attachment in care, to evaluating school wellbeing programmes, parenting interventions, and innovative community initiatives.
Each project contributes to building evidence-based approaches that inform policy, practice, and support for children, young people, and their families.
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Adoption and Attachment Research Study: Transition into Adulthood
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#BeeWell
#BeeWell was co-founded by The University of Manchester, The Gregson Family Foundation and Anna Freud. Central to the programme is a survey, created collaboratively with 350 young people...
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Beyond Programme evaluation
We are providing an evaluation for the Beyond Programme, a transformation programme in Cheshire and Merseyside. It aims to improve care for children and young people that supports their ...
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Brief Educational Workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST)
BESST is a large, national study testing the effectiveness of a day-long workshop programme called DISCOVER, for 16–18-year-old students experiencing low mood, stress or anxiety.
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Education for Wellbeing
Education for Wellbeing, led in partnership by mental health charity Anna Freud and UCL, tested five interventions and involved more than 30,000 primary and secondary school students.
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Emotional Regulation in Children (ERiC)
ChAPTRe and the Evidence-Based Practice Unit, funded by Kavli Trust, conduct a trial on mentalization-based treatment (MBT) for ages 6–12.
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Growing Up in the 2020s - National Study
Growing Up in the 2020s is a landmark national study that will follow thousands of young people in England as they go through secondary school.
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Image Based Measures
This project will result in the creation of a co-produced image-based questionnaire/measure working with young people and researchers.
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Inclusive and Nurturing Schools
We are conducting an evaluation of the Violence Reduction Unit’s Inclusive and Nurturing Schools programme.
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IntegratED – Cohesion
We are conducting an evaluation of a new programme being piloted supporting pupils at risk of exclusion.
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Internal Representations of Children and Adolescents in Care (Five Rivers)
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Learning Together Mental Health (LTMH)
An introduction to the Learning Together Mental Health programme and the research examining how it supports pupils’ mental health, belonging and learning in secondary schools.
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Linking Loss Study
This NIHR-funded study explores mental health after early pregnancy loss in Black, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
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London Vanguard
We are conducting an evaluation of London Vanguard which is developing services to improve the wellbeing of children, young people, their parents and carers, and local communities who ma...
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Longitudinal Experiences and Adjustments in Parenthood Study (LEAPS)
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Microanalysis of Clinical Process in Psychoanalytic Parent Infant Psychotherapy Addressing Relational Trauma
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More Good Days at School
This national research study is working with mainstream secondary schools to identify whether those staff informed and trained to respond to trauma are able to better support students’ m...
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My Story and Me
Secondary schools, Further Education colleges, and youth organisations are invited to test a new intervention to support the mental health of young women and girls.
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National Autism Trainer Programme (NATP)
Anna Freud and AT-Autism have joined forces to develop an autism train the trainer programme for NHS England.
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National Evaluation of Start for Life
The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is a UK government programme that provides services to support parents and carers from a child’s conception until their second birthday.
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On the Way to School
Active mobility interventions for the promotion of physical activity and mental well-being in adolescents in Bogotá, Colombia, and Maputo, Mozambique.
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Ostensive Cues
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Research on our Schools and Colleges Early Support Service (SCESS)
The Schools and Colleges Early Support Service is an online whole-school emotional wellbeing offer from Anna Freud. We continue to research, monitor and improve this service.
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The Adolescent Story Stem Profile (ASSP)
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The Assessment of Representational Risk (ARR)
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The MICA Study
The MICA study is exploring whether Mentalization-Based Therapy can help young people better manage aggressive or violent behaviours.
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The Kailo Programme
The Kailo programme aims to help young people and their communities find local solutions for better mental health in the UK.
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The Repairing Epistemic Mistrust and Securing Engagement in Therapy (RESET) Study
A secondary data analysis on dropout and epistemic mistrust among adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
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United Against Bullying
United Against Bullying Plus is a whole school anti-bullying programme for schools in England run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Our evaluation will explore the programmes feasibility, a...
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Your Choice
Anna Freud and the Institute for Fiscal Studies have partnered to evaluate the Your Choice programme, which aims to reduce violence for at-risk 11- to 18-year-olds across London.