This is My Place: Building a Brighter Future at the Pears Maudsley Centre 

The theme for Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 (February 9-15), “This is My Place”, is at heart of the ethos around the design of the Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People which will open its doors this year!

Based in South London at the heart of the world leading Maudsley Hospital site, it will be home to the King’s Maudsley Partnership, as well as many South London and Maudsley NHS Trust‘s child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) services, the Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School and state of the art clinical research facilities. 

The pioneering new Centre will care for some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people experiencing anxiety, depression, OCD, self-harm, eating disorders, trauma and autism – work that will benefit the local community and be shared nationally and internationally. 

A place designed for and by young people

From its very inception, this building has been a ground-breaking project, not just in its architectural ambition but in its fundamental approach to design. We believe that for young people to feel truly supported and safe, their environment must reflect their needs and perspectives. That’s why the Pears Maudsley Centre has been co-designed with children, young people, and their families every step of the way.

The Centre’s layout and interior design has been informed by the needs and views of young service users. Throughout the design process we held workshops, consultations, and feedback sessions, listening to what young people wanted and needed from a mental health facility. Their insights have been invaluable, shaping: 

• Welcoming and accessible spaces: The Centre has been designed to be bright, open, and easy to navigate, reducing feelings of anxiety often associated with clinical environments. Natural light, green spaces, and a sense of calm have been prioritised. 

• Young People’s Art Group: young service users aged between 16 and 21 helped guide our arts strategy at the Centre. With the support of local artist, Daniel Regan, the Young People’s Art Group created the brief for each of the three commissions, which invited artists to develop exciting, site-specific artworks for the Centre, based on the theme of ‘nature’. This work was led by the Bethlem Gallery, supported by the Maudsley Charity. 

• Therapeutic environments: From quiet contemplation zones to active social areas, every space has been carefully considered to support different therapeutic needs and personal preferences. The design encourages engagement, creativity, and connection. 

• Reduced stigma: A key aim of the co-design process was to challenge traditional perceptions of mental health services. The Pears Maudsley Centre feels less like a hospital and more like a community hub, a safe 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 

A Testament to Collaboration and Hope  

The opening of the Pears Maudsley Centre is a testament to the power of collaboration. It will act as a collaboration hub for academics and clinicians to work alongside children, young people and families to transform our understanding, and treatment of children’s mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. It’s a place where they will find world-class care in an environment that truly understands and respects them.