We’re looking for mainstream secondary state schools in England to help us by taking part in a national trial of the Learning Together for Mental Health Programme! www.place2be.org.uk/ltmh

Babies do remember. Babies do feel. The body remembers, even when we can't consciously recall those early days. Early relational experiences link with later emotional and developmental outcomes. Longitudinal studies, neuroscience research and adoption studies have contributed to this evidence:

The “precociously good baby”🍼 Babies can appear unusually compliant or emotionally self-contained. This isn’t always because they’re contented but because they've adapted to environments that feel unsafe. Babies can't explain what they feel in words, and it’s easy to miss what's below the surface.

Babies are highly sensitive to emotional environments around them. Their developing brains are shaped through relationships. Experiences of fear, inconsistency or relational trauma can become deeply embedded, even before they're old enough to consciously remember. #InfantMentalHealthAwarenessWeek

A happy-seeming baby is not always a thriving baby. The "baby blind spot" is the tendency for adults to overlook infants’ emotional experiences. This happens more often when families are already under pressure, like during domestic abuse. #InfantMentalHealthAwarenessWeek

Self-harm can sometimes be a coping mechanism for managing very difficult thoughts and feelings. Sometimes in close relationships it can be harder to mentalize, or make sense of what is happening in ours and others’ minds.

Our founder, Anna Freud, recognised adolescence as a venture into uncertain territory, a necessary exposure to risk, relationality, and the gradual negotiation of a self. But lately the terrain has shifted ⬇️

Apply now for our MSc Early Child Development and Clinical Applications with @ucl.ac.uk 🧠 This degree combines a theoretical foundation in early child development with a supervised clinical placement, infant observation, and a research project. www.annafreud.org/training/pos...

Do you support an autistic person with a learning disability? Join our free webinar with Stephen Unwin, inspired by his bestselling book “Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong”: www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/events/what-...

Regularly taking part in arts activities such as reading, listening to music or visiting a gallery or museum may slow the pace of biological ageing, suggests a new study by UCL researchers. www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

The theme for #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek is 'taking action'. CORC's work aims to turn evidence into effective action for effective child-centred support, services & systems to improve children and young people's #mentalhealth & #wellbeing. This blog is 1 example 👇 www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Around every 20 seconds, a referral is made for a child or young person to access mental health services in England. That's about 4,000 referrals every day. (Darzi, 2024)

Around 1 in 50 mothers experience perinatal OCD in pregnancy, but that can increase to 1 in 9 after birth. Our expert Dr Camilla Rosan was on @bbcaccessall.bsky.social this week along with actor Kimberly Nixon who spoke about her experiences of OCD after giving birth.

What’s it really like to be a neurodivergent dad advocating for your autistic children? We sat down with autistic and ADHD dads on our latest episode of the Autism Central Podcast: www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/news/podcast... #AutismCentralLearn @england.nhs.uk

Our undergraduate research internships are now open for applications 🥳 We will close when we receive enough applications so don't delay! orlo.uk/skvxy

Explaining autism to a child? Some useful phrases from @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social - Associate Professor at UCL and Director of Autism Central at Anna Freud in @huffpost.co.uk: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/explai...

What if we stopped pathologising autistic interests, and started valuing them? In our next Autism Central webinar, Dr Myrto Kakoulidou talks with Dr Amy Pearson about how interests can bring joy and play a vital role in autistic people’s wellbeing. www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/events/inter...

From tmrw applications will be open for #internship positions in the #mentalhealth #research team at @annafreudcharity.bsky.social. Due to popular interest, applications will be capped at 100 - so do check online tmrw for full details to apply. Inclusive applications 🙏🏼 orlo.uk/LDErp

Our CEO, Deputy CEO and Director of Schools and Clinical Practice met with @childrenscomm.bsky.social Dame Rachel de Souza last week to discuss mental health and SEND reform in schools. Read more: www.annafreud.org/news/childre...

Great article in @bpsofficial.bsky.social by John Olusola Ojo at @alderheycharity.org 👀 www.bps.org.uk/psychologist... It highlights the importance of understanding #youngpeople perspectives, to best support them. The free modular surveys mentioned are here 👉🏽 www.corc.uk.net/wellbeing-in...

Our latest research: Does group support for foster carers help children in care? ⬇️

Did you know we offer free online coaching sessions to help you support an autistic person in your life? The sessions are one-to-one and delivered by trained peer guides with lived and family experience. www.autismcentral.org.uk/one-one

5 ways to talk to children about neurodiversity (thread)⬇️ #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek

On day 1 of #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek2026 we want to make sure that our free guidance is shared for those using outcome measures in their work with young people. It includes insights from #neurodivergent #youngpeople 👉🏽 www.corc.uk.net/outcome-meas...

Many neurodivergent young people face barriers to support. This can not only cause mental health problems, but also make them worse. We can break these barriers down with approaches focused on trust, empathy and connection.

Applications are open for our postgrad courses with UCL! Come along to our open events for: • MRes Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology • MSc Early Child Development and Clinical Applications • MSc Psychology and Trauma (Child and Adolescent Route) www.eventbrite.com/e/online-ope...

Do you work with family members of autistic people or need personalised guidance for your own family?   We’re commissioned by the NHS to offer free coaching sessions through Autism Central, a safe space to reflect on autistic wellbeing: autismcentral.org.uk/one-one #AutismCentralLearn

If you work in a school, come to our free training programme on self-harm. We’ll help you better understand self-harm and its underlying causes. And you’ll hear how to respond when a student says they’re self-harming. orlo.uk/C71De

If trauma travels across generations, so can repair and recovery. This is what our CEO Prof Eamon McCrory said at the MPowerMinds Summit in Bengaluru last week. "Trauma really operates through its impact on relationships. And that also means that recovery and healing happen through relationships."

This month, young people from Our Wellbeing Our Voice (#BeeWell, @annafreudcharity.bsky.social @thefea.bsky.social) shared their experiences of school, highlighting the importance of belonging, trusted adults, & inclusive practices. 📢 beewellprogramme.org/listening-to... #OurWellbeingOurVoice

For many autistic people life involves more uncertainty from unpredictable social rules to sensory environments changing without warning. Watch this video on creating safe, predictable spaces www.autismcentral.org.uk/news/safety-... @england.nhs.uk @kieranrose.bsky.social @joshuajknowles.bsky.social

The government announced measures on Monday to reform the education system, including support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Read our statement: www.annafreud.org/news/we-resp...

In our free Autism Central webinar, we'll explore common reasons for autistic people's non-attendance at school. We'll share practical ways in which families can help young people at home and in collaboration with schools. 🎒📚 13 Mar. Book here: url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/1uIxCgA2tq...

With therapists supporting patients with pathological narcissism to mentalize (to "read" and reflect on mental states in themselves and others), Mentalization-Based Treatment helps patients work through the challenges that come with pathological narcissism. www.annafreud.org/training/cou...

In our “So What?” seminar from our project @ebpu.bsky.social we’ll explore what meaningful involvement of lived experience experts in research looks like in practice. For anyone interested children and young people’s mental health. 💜 24 March 💜 17:30 💜 Free www.annafreud.org/training/cou...

Check out this blog & webinar recording which is in complete support of #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek theme focussing on the importance of #belonging 👀 www.corc.uk.net/news-blogs/2... If you'd like to gain valuable data within your #school 👀 www.corc.uk.net/wellbeing-in...

This year’s Children’s Mental Health Week supports systems around children to help them feel they belong. Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou, Chair of Autism Central England’s National Peer Education Programme shares her personal experiences growing up neurodivergent: orlo.uk/QNKiP

From our 2025 Key Findings: A narrative study of young #women and #girls’ stories of their #mentalhealth and associated #support Read the full paper here: tinyurl.com/3v5bfrnt Check out the booklet: orlo.uk/dK3jo #resilience #belonging #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek

We’re rolling out new training to improve neurodivergent children and young people’s wellbeing in schools and help them feel they belong.💜 We estimate over 10,500 neurodivergent students will benefit from the programme, Neurodiversity and Wellbeing in Schools, over 3 years.

3 ways parents and carers can help children and young people build a sense of belonging: ⬇️ #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek

At school, a curriculum that fosters a sense of belonging improves mental health and academic outcomes. Especially for those who experience marginalisation, according to @pbe.co.uk. Let's help children and young people develop their place together.

Research from the Search Institute shows that young people with strong relationships show significantly higher levels of resilience, confidence, and belonging. Let’s create strong foundations and relationships, and help children and young people develop their place together.

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, and this year’s theme is ‘this is my place’, centring on belonging. Belonging matters. The relationships we build in childhood help us to form the foundations for lifelong mental health and wellbeing.

#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek theme this week is #ThisisMyplace as 'belonging' is crucial for mental #wellbeing. These 2 free resources help #schools & #teachers gain real-life data into how pupils feel about: School Life www.corc.uk.net/wellbeing-in... Relationships www.corc.uk.net/wellbeing-in...

Resources for families of autistic people: www.autismcentral.org.uk You can join our free events: www.autismcentral.org.uk/events or 1-1 sessions with our trained peer guides for practical guidance: www.autismcentral.org.uk/one-one Open to families of autistic people of all ages in England.

All autistic people can achieve autonomy when they receive the right support at the right time, for activities they choose to do. We all need to make sure autistic young people’s preferences are heard and respected.⬇️

This year’s Children’s Mental Health Week theme is “This is my place”, focusing on belonging. Education staff, we’ve created a free toolkit of practical resources and activities to foster belonging: mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/resources/ch...

When a family goes through the loss of a child, attention often focuses on parents and carers. Siblings can be left carrying their grief quietly, feeling unseen and unsure of where they belong.

Winter can be like trying to function on a phone constantly on low battery. Everything takes more effort, energy drains faster and you need to recharge more. For some, the feeling lifts as spring comes. But for others it’s hard to shake. It can affect mood and daily functioning ⬇️

Did you know Mentalization-Based Treatment has been shown to reduce self-harm and depression in adolescents? In one study, 80 adolescents coming to mental health services several times with self-harm and depression were randomly allocated to either MBT for Adolescents or treatment as usual.