Centre for Mental Health is delighted to have appointed Kadra Abdinasir as its new Head of Children and Young People’s Mental Health. Kadra is currently Strategic Lead for the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and she will continue to have that role as part of her new post at the Centre.
Kadra will lead the Centre’s work to improve mental health support for children and young people. That includes existing projects such as the ground-breaking Shifting the Dial programme with partners in Birmingham and new work exploring inequalities and opportunities to make a difference for children, families and young people.
Kadra will also continue as Strategic Lead for the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, which is hosted at Centre for Mental Health and which brings together 200 organisations and individuals nationwide to campaign for better mental health support for infants, children and young people.
Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sarah Hughes said:
I am thrilled that Kadra is going to be our new Head of Children and Young People’s Mental Health. This is a critical time for the mental health of children and young people. With investment pledged in extra mental health support for new parents, in schools and for young adults, we want to ensure that the best evidence is applied in practice. We also need to support local councils who have an important and often undervalued role in supporting children’s mental health. And we need to have a sustained focus on tackling stark inequalities in children’s mental health. Kadra’s appointment will enable us to keep making the case for change and to support the vital work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition to achieve the biggest possible impact nationwide.
Kadra Abdinasir said:
I am delighted to be joining Centre for Mental Health as Head of Children and Young People’s Mental Health and to continue working with the Coalition at the same time. The Centre’s work informs policy and inspires change, and I am pleased to be able to take that forward, building on the extraordinary work of Lorraine Khan at a time when children’s mental health is getting unprecedented levels of attention and concern. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Coalition partners to ensure that we advocate for change where it’s needed and make sure that no one’s voice is unheard.
