Community holds so much power for young people’s mental health.

Nana, our Head of Clinical Services, shares why building communities and relationships are key to improving young people’s wellbeing in our new blog: www.annafreud.org/news/connect...

The Story Stem Assessment Profile is a tool designed to help us understand the internal worlds of children aged 4 to 9 years old.

If you work with children of these ages find out more about Story Stem in our training course starting on 3 February: www.annafreud.org/training/cou...

We have published many papers on the SSAP, particularly in looked-after (fostered) and adopted children.

Our findings suggest it helps reveal the effects of early adversity. It sheds light on defence mechanisms that aren’t immediately noticeable in a child’s behaviour or observations from adults.

Through their storytelling, we can gain rich insights into their attachment representations and relational expectations.

One tool our clinicians find effective is the Story Stem Assessment Profile.

The SSAP is a play-based, narrative assessment where children are invited to respond to a series of story beginnings or conflicts using small figures, animals and props.

If you’re a practitioner working with children, you’ll know these are the kind of insights that tell you what you need to know about children’s relationships and attachment styles. Yet these are often hard to get from children.

You observe what happens next.

Does the parent tend to the child’s injury? Are they comforted or dismissed? Is there an escalation in the situation, or does the parent avoid addressing it?

If you are interested in coproduced education in autism and related neurodivergences check out National Autism Peer Education Programme: www.autismcentral.org.uk

#AutismCentralLearn

(Continued) “It was a testimony to the power of love, compassion and belonging, which is a platform for positive change. I will keep those voices with me as a guide for autonomy forever.”

And a heartfelt thank-you to Lynette Morgan, who shared this reflection:

“The conference was a gold-standard example of co-production to influence best practice. It was a meaningful and powerful representation of diversity and intersectionality.” ⬇️

Thank you experts by science and/or experience who joined us to explore how we can build more equitable systems, expand agency, and foster genuine belonging.