Child Attachment and Psychological Therapies Research Unit (ChAPTRe)

The research unit is a space for developing and promoting research related to children and young people's mental health and emotional well-being. Our particular focus is on understanding children's development (especially in relation to attachment and mentalization) and both evaluating and reaching a better understanding of psychological therapies for children, young people, and caregivers. We have expertise in research with children and families in various contexts, including care-experienced young people, families on the edge of care, and young people with depression.

As well as asking whether a treatment works through large scale studies, we also have a strong expertise in incorporating qualitative and mixed-methods to explore questions like:

· Why does this treatment work?

· What are the mechanisms of change?

· Who does this treatment work for, and why?

· What is it like to receive this particular treatment, from the perspective of children, young people, and families?

· How can this treatment be successfully implemented in real world services?

ChAPTRe is involved in a number of on-going research studies and also offers trainings and consultations to those working in this field. We also have limited opportunities for PhD students, based at different programmes at UCL.