The Anna Freud Centre is committed to translating scientific findings into effective interventions for children and families and is engaged in a range of studies investigating new and innovative ways of supporting families in need. We are studying the effectiveness of Parent-Infant Psychotherapy (PIP) in the first year of life for families struggling with significant mental health problems. We have broadened this work to see how interventions like PIP can be used to help parents in a range of extremely challenging circumstances, including mothers in prison, mothers in inpatient psychiatric mother-baby units and parents in hostels.

Our work has also highlighted the importance of a parent’s capacity to think about the child’s mind—his thoughts, feelings, and desires—in the development of secure attachments.

We continue to conduct scientific studies into the key influences on social and emotional development, so that we can develop and deliver the best programmes and policies for promoting children’s wellbeing.