While the world focussed on the #YoungMindsMatter campaign, the Duchess of Cambridge was already looking ahead to her future patronages in supporting children’s mental health.
As she spearheaded her #YoungMindsMatter crusade with the help of the Huffington Post UK, The Duchess of Cambridge also became patron of the Anna Freud Centre yesterday. To showcase her continued, personal support of the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and youth, Her Royal Highness has joined forces with this veteran organisation.
The Anna Freud Centre tackles reducing the burden of mental health matters of children in three key areas: It has created a programme whose focus is on conducting cutting edge research. The centre also provides various clinical services to children and their families. And, for practitioners and other mental health professionals, specialised training and education.
For over sixty years, this children’s mental health charity has focussed on caring for the young minds of children by working with families to provide support so they may focus on building their strengths so they might become successful in life. “Our vision is a world in which children and their families are effectively supported to build on their own strengths to achieve their goals in life.”
Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the Duchess and her support: “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 added: “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.”
By serving as guest editor of the Huffington Post UK and becoming patron of the Anna Freud centre it is a reflection of how important the mental health of children is to the Duchess.
