Building Blocks of Development: Innovations in Science from Research to Practice.
Wednesday, 21st May 2025, 9am-6pm, Cambridge
Venue: Newnham College, Cambridge.
We're busy planning our first ever Centre for Child, Adolescent & Family Research Conference!
Talks will cover prenatal, infant, early childhood and adolescent periods of development.
Speakers
‘Pre-natal and Infancy’
Gaia Scerif, University of Oxford
Gaia Scerif is Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the development of attentional control and the neural correlates of attentional differences, exploring how these impact cognitive abilities.
Attention plays a crucial role in learning and behaviour, especially in the classroom, and is particularly relevant for neurodivergent groups. Gaia aims to understand how attentional differences vary across groups, including those with genetic conditions (e.g., fragile X, Down syndrome) and complex behavioural conditions (e.g., ADHD). Her work also considers socio-economic diversity, both in the UK and the Global South, with implications for neuroscience and for families affected by attentional differences.
Paul Ramchandani, University of Cambridge
Paul Ramchandani is LEGO Professor of Play in Education, Development and Learning at the University of Cambridge. Prior to this he was Professor of Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Imperial College London. He trained initially as a medical doctor, subsequently training in Psychiatry. He continues to work as a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in the NHS.
Paul works with a team studying early child development and developing and testing interventions to promote children’s mental health and children’s wider positive development. Paul is a trustee of Foundations, the What Works centre for children and families (previously the Early Intervention Foundation) and is the practitioner review editor for the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
‘Early childhood’
Patti Leijten, University of Amsterdam
Patty Leijten is an Associate Professor at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education of the University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands). She studies how we can effectively support parents to enhance children's mental health and well-being.
She uses rigorous basic research designs to discern the active ingredients of effective parenting support and creative intervention designs (e.g., microtrials and factorial experiments) to refine theory on how parents shape children’s development. In doing so, she breaks with the tradition to evaluate ‘package-deal’ parenting programs and creates blueprints for processes that contribute to effective parenting support programs.
Susan Walker (Online), University of the West Indies
Susan Walker is a global leader in enhancing children's cognitive and socio-emotional development in low and middle-income countries. She conducted follow-up research on the Jamaica supplementation and stimulation trial, demonstrating long-term benefits in adult income, education, and mental health from early interventions. Her work has informed international agencies on the importance of scaling early childhood development (ECD) services.
Susan contributed to the Lancet 2013 series on Maternal and Child Nutrition and authored key papers on child development risk factors and inequalities. She is involved with the WHO and the National Academy of Sciences on early childhood investment.
As the leader of the Reach Up parenting program, she has overseen its adaptation and evaluation in 18 countries, including Brazil and India, collaborating with local and international organizations for its expansion.
‘Adolescence’
Eveline Crone, Erasmus University Rotterdam; Leiden University
Eveline Crone is Developmental Neuroscience and Neurocognitive Psychology professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Leiden University. She leads the SYNC lab, researching self-regulation and social development from birth through adolescence, utilizing neuroscience and engaging societal partners.
She has published over 200 articles and heads the GUTS program on adolescent development (2023-2033). She is a member of prestigious academies, including the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received several awards, including the Spinoza award. Crone actively shares her research with the public, authoring the bestselling book “The Adolescent Brain” and her upcoming “Generation Self-Confidence,” set for release in fall 2024.
Essi Viding, University College London
Essi Viding is Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Pro Vice Provost for Mental Health and Wellbeing Grand Challenge at UCL.
Her work utilises different methodological approaches to study disruptive behaviour disorders, as well as children and young people’s mental health more broadly.
Her research has been recognised by a number of prizes, including the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Registrations
Book a free place via bit.ly/CAFR_Conference2025
Full schedule
08:00-09:00 | Registration
09:00-09:20 | Introduction - Pasco Fearon and Claire Hughes
09:20-10:10 | Pre-natal and Infancy 1 - Gaia Scerif
10:10-11:00 | Pre-natal and Infancy 2 - Paul Ramchandani
Break
11:20-12:10 | Early childhood 1 - Patti Leijten
12:10-13:00 | Early childhood 2 - Susan Walker
Lunch
14:20-15:10 | Adolescence 1 - Eveline Crone
15:10-16:00 | Adolescence 2 - Essi Viding
Break
16:30-17:15 | Round table - all speakers
17:15-17:30 | Summary and farewells - Pasco Fearon and Claire Hughes
17:30-18:00 | Ends
Practical Information
Venue
Newnham College, University of Cambridge.
Parking
Please note there is no general parking available at the venue.
If you are a blue-badge holder please contact cafr-conference@psychol.cam.ac.uk.
Lunch
Lunch will be provided free of charge for all delegates, in Clough Hall at Newnham.