The Anna Freud Centre is unique in bringing together research, resources, training and practice, and in sharing our expertise, wherever possible, for free.
We make complex ideas simple and work closely with schools and colleges to transform knowledge into action.
The Schools Division at the Anna Freud Centre runs a number of different programmes and projects.
Mentally Healthy Schools (MHS) is a unique UK-wide website of quality-assured mental health information and resources for primary, secondary and further education settings.
The website features a digital library of over 800 free resources for pupil and staff wellbeing, all filterable by topic, age and type of resource. Each month, MHS produces a toolkit of curated resources on a theme, like World Mental Health Day or Anti-Bullying Week.
Sign up to the Mentally Healthy Schools newsletter to receive these toolkits direct to your inbox each month.
Schools in Mind is a free network for education professionals which shares practical, academic and clinical expertise about mental health and wellbeing in schools and FE colleges.
The network aims to translate research into practice by providing evidence-based, accessible information and resources that can be used to embed good mental health across the whole school community.
Join the free Schools in Mind network today.
5 Steps is an evidence-based framework, developed by mental health experts and teachers. It is free and interactive, leading senior leaders through 5 simple steps to develop a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.
The 5 Steps framework helps schools to support staff, lead change, and engage with parents, carers and the community so that you can meet your pupils' and students' needs.
Find out more about 5 Steps.
The Anna Freud Centre offers a CPD-accredited training course for senior mental health leads in schools.
The training combines the expertise of Anna Freud Centre course leaders with a valuable, engaging community of practice, to support senior mental health leads in building a sustainable, whole-school approach.
HeadStart is a six-year programme delivered across six local authorities in England. HeadStart aimed to explore and test new ways to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 10–16 and prevent serious mental health issues from developing.
The evaluation has not only examined HeadStart’s contribution to young people’s mental health and wellbeing but has also involved an extensive programme of research that has been able to contribute rich learning and a wider understanding of the picture of young people’s mental health in England. The report reiterates the importance of trusted relationships in helping young people to manage challenges to their mental health and wellbeing, and how support might need to be ‘stepped up’ when they are experiencing multiple challenges.
A key principle of HeadStart was that young people should be involved in all aspects of the programme at national and local level from design and delivery to research and evaluation, in order to influence and shape their support and systems that they are a part of. As part of our evaluation, we have explored the various models of participation that currently exist within the field, in addition to looking at the participation activities that took place across the six HeadStart partnerships.
You can download the report and related materials from our website.
Our work already benefits more than a million children in schools and colleges, and we aim to reach millions more in the next few years.
Practical and hands-on, we work directly with schools. We founded and support a school, so we understand how they work – and that school staff know their communities better than anyone.
Our work is evidence based. We work with Yale University, UCL, Manchester University and other academic institutions to make sure everything we do is grounded in excellence.
We help schools and colleges to develop a consistent, whole-school approach, understanding how important all parts of school culture are.
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Charity no: 1107640
