A new standard for research into children's mental health and neurodiversity
The Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People will change the story on children’s mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, and transform the lives of young people.
There is no other place like this on our planet that is bringing together clinicians, researchers, young people and families. As well as serving the local community and our nation, the Centre will be a beacon in the world of young people’s mental health when it is needed most.
Professor Shitij Kapur, President and Principal at King’s College London
A testament to collaboration
The Pears Maudsley Centre is a pioneering space designed for true collaboration – it provides a space where university researchers and hospital clinicians can work together more efficiently.
And world-renowned experts work with children, young people, and families to ensure that research is translated into practical treatments in the shortest possible time.
A place designed for, and by, young people
The Pears Maudsley Centre has been co-designed with children, young people, and their families – setting a new standard for the design of mental health inpatient and outpatient facilities.
We listened to what young people wanted and needed through workshops, consultations, and feedback sessions.
A key aim of the co-design process was to change how people see mental health services and reduce stigma.
By involving young people and their families in its design, we have ensured the building feels more like a community hub than a hospital. It’s a haven where young people can feel comfortable and understood.
It's going to change things literally from the ground up. It's so rare within mental health services to have facilities that have been designed from the very start with young people, for young people.
Dr Bruce Clark, Clinical Director, King's Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People
Who you’ll find at the Centre
- The King's Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People
- Many of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- The Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School
- King’s College London researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN)
The Centre includes:
- World-class inpatient and outpatient facilities, as well as the outstanding Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School, to allow young people receiving care to continue their education.
- Welcoming and accessible spaces - The Centre has been designed to be bright, open, and easy to navigate, reducing the feelings of anxiety often associated with clinical environments. We prioritised natural light, green spaces, and a sense of calm. There are landscaped outdoor terraces on each of its eight floors – as well as a roof terrace.
- Therapeutic environments - Each space is designed for different needs. There are quiet zones for reflection and lively areas for socialising. There are also art rooms, spaces for cooking and horticulture therapy, and tailored learning spaces. They cater to personal preferences and therapeutic needs. The design encourages engagement, creativity, and connection.
- A state-of-the-art Clinical Research Facility - the only one of its kind in the country focused entirely on children and young people's mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Art programme - Young people aged 16 to 21 helped shape the Centre's arts strategy. With help from local artist Daniel Regan, the Young People’s Art Group commissioned three exciting artworks for the Centre by Bethany Williams, Marcus Coates, and Sahra Hersi . The Bethlem Gallery led this work, supported by the Maudsley Charity.
Our lead funders
Maudsley Charity, not only a partner but valued donor.
Pears Foundation made our lead capital gift and shares naming rights for the Centre. The Foundation is committed to building capability and capacity in the mental health sector - supporting high-quality research, training, clinical innovation, and wider access to care.
The Rayne Foundation made a catalyst gift at the start of the campaign, helping to inspire further philanthropic giving. This reflects the Foundation's longstanding commitment to children's mental health and its enthusiasm for work that spans conditions emerging across all stages of childhood and adolescence.
Julia Rausing Trust made a significant capital contribution to the Pears Maudsley Centre which helped to close out the campaign. Through its commitment to improving health and wellbeing, the Trust is helping to advance pioneering research, innovation and clinical care. This investment will have a lasting impact on the lives of young people and families for generations to come.
Thank you. Each of these gifts has helped create something genuinely world-leading - a place where children and young people can receive outstanding care, alongside the research to improve that care.
Our major donors
The following donors played an instrumental role in our capital appeal. Their pivotal support is recognised with dedicated spaces throughout the building:
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- Wolfson Foundation
- Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust
- Kuok Group
- Bernard Lewis Family Charitable Trust
- Riady Foundation
- Daniel and Elizabeth Peltz
- Dorset Foundation
- Prudence Trust
- Dove
The Pears Maudsley Centre was made possible through a combination of investment from a £10m donation from Maudsley Charity, to donations from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, and the extraordinary generosity of major donors - foundations and individuals who share our commitment to children and young people's mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.
We are deeply grateful to every supporter who helped bring this vision to life.
"We are proud to have our family name associated with a superb new Centre which will deepen understanding of the challenges children face and how they can best be supported."
Sir Trevor Pears CMG, Executive Chair, Pears Foundation
How can you support us?
With philanthropic support, we want every child or young person who uses our services to have the chance to be part of research that could change lives.
From child-friendly brain imaging to deep genomic analysis, this work will build a richer picture of the underlying drivers of mental health and neurodevelopment in children and young people - leading to more targeted, effective care for each individual child.
If you would like to find out more about how you can support the King's Maudsley Partnership, we would love to hear from you.
Visit us
The Pears Maudsley Centre is located in Denmark Hill at the heart of the Maudsley Hospital site in South London.