Anna Freud
Peer Researcher (Parent/Carer)
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Use your lived experience to shape the future of children’s mental health.
Anna Freud is seeking a Peer Researcher to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families. Our mission is to close the gap in wellbeing and mental health by advancing, translating, delivering, and sharing the best science and practice with everyone who impacts the lives of children, young people and their families. More information about Anna Freud is available on our website.
Our EDI commitment
We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and being an equal opportunities employer, whereby equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core to our recruitment practices. All candidates who meet the job criteria will be considered for employment, regardless of ethnic origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic background, caring responsibilities and care experience.
We ask candidates to share their diversity dimensions with us to help us identify, tackle and prevent bias across the employee lifecycle. We believe a diverse workforce enhances our ability to support mental health and wellbeing, allowing us to better meet the needs of the children, young people and families we serve.
As a Disability Confident employer, disabled candidates meeting our criteria are guaranteed an interview. Applications are submitted anonymously and assessed using a fair evaluation process based on the criteria set out in our job profiles.
What We Offer
- We offer a range of staff benefits, including free counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme.
- We are proud to have staff-led Diversity Networks offering unique opportunities for learning, connection and impact.
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You will work closely with the Research and Training teams, and training will be provided on qualitative research methods. You will join a highly influential programme of work, which will include exposure to policymakers. It offers the unique opportunity to influence decision-making and contribute to making a real difference in children’s mental health.
What You’ll Do
- Join Anna Freud's national programme, Prevention First, focused on improving children and young people's mental health through prevention and early intervention.
- You will use your lived experience and research skills to help ensure the voices of young people shape the programme's development and delivery.
- You will be involved in advisory groups and work collaboratively with staff, practitioners and young people to co-produce recommendations and resources.
What You’ll Bring
Essential skills and experience:
- Experience of using your personal lived experience to help improve research, services or support for others.
- Experience of taking part in, or helping lead, advisory groups, youth panels or similar groups where people share ideas and make recommendations.
- Genuine interest in making sure young people and families have a genuine voice and influence in decisions that affect them.
- Confident contributing to reports, summaries or other information that is shared with different audiences.
- Willing to share your perspective and experiences to help shape training, research and better mental health support for children and young people.
Key details
- Hours: part-time (14 hours per week). Flexible working is possible. Usual working hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00.
- Salary: £31,064 per annum FTE, plus 6% contributory pension scheme.
- Location: hybrid (a mixture of home/onsite working): staff are working onsite for at least 20% of their working hours at Anna Freud, 4-8 Rodney Street, London N1 9JH. There will be some events and meetings where travel to London will be required.
- Contract type: fixed-term, three years.
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Next steps
- Closing date for applications: midday (12pm), Tuesday 10 September 2026. Please note that due to high application volumes, we may close this advert early. We encourage you to apply promptly and to keep an eye on our future vacancies for more opportunities.
- Notification of interview: shortlisted applicants will be notified no later than Thursday 17 September 2026. During shortlisting, applicants are anonymously assessed using the criteria visible in the Job Profile. Please note: due to the high volume of applications received, we will not be able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
- Interviews: will be held remotely between 23-25 September 2026.
How to apply
- Click on the 'apply now’ button to apply online. We are unable to accept CVs and kindly request no contact from agencies.
Questions?
- Please email recruitment@annafreud.org with any job enquiries, or if you require assistance or experience difficulties when applying. Please note that successful candidate(s) will be asked to evidence their Right to Work in the UK post-job offer – we do not hold a sponsor license therefore we are unable to provide Visa sponsorship.
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