VAMHN Official launch

​We are delighted to announce the launch of the UKRI-funded Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network. ​This network aims to reduce the prevalence of mental health problems among children, adults, and the elderly, by bringing together experts from different fields with different ways of thinking about violence, abuse and mental health. Some of these have personal experience of these issues, others will have expertise from the work that they do, and some will have both as survivor researchers. Through a range of network activities – including small grants competitions - we aim to increase understanding and reduce the impact of violence and abuse on mental health. 

If you would like more details about the Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network, please see this link or follow the network on twitter @vamhn.

The official launch event of the VAMHN will take place at the Royal Collage of Pyschiatrists on 7th December, details of which are included below. Unfortunately the event is fully booked, however you can register to a waiting list in case additional places become available. You will be able to follow the event on twitter @vamhn and @Mental_Elf. Further information will also be available on The Mental Elf website in the form of podcasts and blogposts.

The network will be officially launched on Friday December 7th from 5 p.m. until 7.30 p.m at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescott St, London E1 8BB. The event will be the first chance to meet others associated with the network and there will be a number of high profile speakers.

The event is a free networking reception, with wine and nibbles, for potential and existing network members and an opportunity to meet people working in this field from many backgrounds and sectors, including survivors of violence and abuse, front-line clinicians, researchers, professionals working for third sector organisations, policymakers, and funders. We will tell you about the aims of the network and our planned activities and small grant competitions. We hope you will contribute to the discussions, providing us with ideas we may not have previously included or considered.

The speakers will include;

• Professor Louise Howard, Professor of Women's Mental Heath
• Dr Sian Oram, King's College London
• Dr Kate Lovett, Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Professor Wendy Burn, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Professor Felicity Callard, Chair of the Network Advisory Group and Director of the Birkbeck Institute of Social Research
• Donna Covey CBE, CEO of Against Violence and Abuse
• Professor Louise Arseneault, ESRC Mental Health Leadership Research Fellow

Unfortunately the event itself is now fully booked, however you can register to a waiting list in case additional places become available. You will be able to follow the event on twitter @vamhn and @Mental_Elf. Further information will also be available on The Mental Elf website in the form of podcasts and blogposts.

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