Child development
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How empathy predicts bullying and victimisation
Sadly, bullying in schools is very common. Around one in three children report that they have experienced peer victimisation themselves. Victimised children are at an increased risk of feeling anxious or depressed, potentially missing school and struggling with their classes, and can even experience mental health problems later in life. Bullies on the other hand might be more likely to struggle with behavioural problems and have a propensity for later substance abuse.
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Supporting and enhancing social communication skills in schools
Through presentations, discussion and practical video-based activities, the session will consider early support and intervention, how adults can respond and adapt to individual children’s communication profiles, and practical approaches that can be applied in educational settings.
- Event type
- Workshop
- Location
- Online
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Mentalising and Emotion Regulation in Children and Families
Midgley et al. (2023) describe the Emotion Regulation in Children (ERiC trial), the first large randomised clinical trial designed to evaluate a brief form of Mentalization-Based Treatment for children aged 6–12 with co-occurring internalising and externalising difficulties. The intervention aims to strengthen children’s and parents’ ability to understand behaviour in relation to thoughts, feelings and intentions, seeking to improve emotion regulation within the child and across the parent–child relationship.
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Meet the expert on ADHD and Depression – Prof. Sinead Rhodes
Discover why ADHD and Depression often co-occur in young people and how understanding these mechanisms changes the way clinicians should treat co-occurring ADHD and Depression. Join Prof. Sinead Rhodes at the event on 15 September 2026.
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The Adolescent Story Stem Profile (ASSP): A Clinical Tool for Exploring Attachment, Affect, and Mentalization
Dr. Saul Hillman, Senior Research Fellow at Anna Freud and an Honorary Lecturer at UCL, introduces the Adolescent Story Stem Profile (ASSP), an online assessment designed to help practitioners explore adolescents’ internal worlds, including attachment representations, affect regulation, mentalization, and interpersonal functioning. JUST £5! FREE TO MEMBERS
- Event type
- ACEs SIG Monthly seminars
- Location
- LIVE STREAM
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Irritability and Later Depression and Self-Harm in Adolescence
Irritability is common in early childhood and for many children, it reduces over time as they develop better frustration tolerance, language, emotional regulation, and social understanding. However, when irritability remains high across early childhood, it may signal increased vulnerability to later mental health difficulties.
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Meet the expert on mentalising – Dr. Emma Morris
Discover how mentalising therapy supports children and families facing complex trauma. Join Emma Morris at the ACAMH workshop on 14 October 2026.
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What are the most important life events for teens
Most adolescents and young adults identify positive, everyday milestones—such as education, relationships and growing independence—as the most important events in their lives, rather than crises. However, those with higher anxiety and depression are more likely to emphasise stressful experiences and interpersonal difficulties, highlighting how mental health shapes the way life events are perceived. Blog by David Bürgin on his recent paper.
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EBSA in young people: complexity, pressure, and the value of slowing down
When a child stops going to school, the wish to help them back quickly is easy to understand. Emotionally based school avoidance rarely has a single cause, though, and the pace of a response can matter as much as its content. One thought runs through what follows: that slowing down can sometimes do more for a child than any effort to hurry a return.
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Mental Health and School Achievement: Why Gender and Age at Onset Matter
Discover how mental health conditions impact school performance in children and adolescents. Explore research on over 837,000 young people, highlighting the effects of anxiety, depression, gender differences, and age of onset on academic achievement—and why early support matters.
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