Duchess of Cambridge becomes patron for Islington charity

The Duchess of Cambridge has become a Patron for the children’s mental health charity, the Anna Freud Centre.

According to statistics by Young Minds, 1 in 10 children aged between 1 and 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder whilst over the last 10 years, the amount of young people admitted to hospital because of self harm has increased by 68%.

Following her recent visits to the charity’s Islington site based in Rodney Street, the Duchess was appointed Patron to raise awareness of mental health issues affecting young people and children.

Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, says: “I am honoured that the Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become a patron of the Anna Freud Centre. I’m particularly proud because I have come to recognise just how knowledgeable she is in relation to what is a complex and difficult issue that so few people genuinely understand.

He adds: “It is my hope that her future work in this field will serve as a catalyst for all and that we are able to achieve the quality of care that children and their families so richly deserve.”

The Anna Freud Centre argues a step change is needed to radically improve the state of children’s mental health care in England.

It is campaigning for much greater integration of mental health support and services into our education, health and social care systems, built around the needs of children young people and their families and not around institutions.

As part of its commitment to creating that step change, the Anna Freud Centre is developing a new centre of excellence in King’s Cross. The site will be a knowledge hub and community, developing new treatments, interventions and approaches to deliver better mental health services.

The site will be the first of its kind which will see mental health integrated into children’s education, as well as supporting the entire family.