[Apologies for Cross-Posting. Original email from Prof. Robert Arnott]

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The Centre for the History of Medicine is delighted to announce the 
formation of the /Institute for the History and Work of Therapeutic 
Environments/, an initiative of the Centre and the Planned Environment 
Therapy Trust (Registered Charity No. 248633). *

*Professor Robert Arnott*

*Director *

*Centre for the History of Medicine*

*The Medical School*

*University* *of Birmingham*

*Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>*

*IHWTE*

*The Institute for the History and Work of Therapeutic Environments*

/*Hosted by the Planned Environment Therapy Trust*/

/*Research and Study Centre of the University of Birmingham*/

*Aims *

To promote research into the history and work of therapeutic 
environments and to promote ways of improving and demonstrating their 
effectiveness.

*The Planned Environment Therapy Trust*

Our partner, the Planned Environment Therapy Trust was founded in 1966 
to promote effective treatment for children and adults with emotional, 
behavioural and psychological disorders. The Trust’s Archive and Study 
Centre was established in the rural village of Toddington, 
Gloucestershire, in 1989 to gather, care for, and make available in a 
professional and appropriate way archive, library, audio-visual and 
other materials related to planned environment therapy, therapeutic 
community, milieu therapy, and group therapies more generally. Over the 
past eighteen years it has built up a wealth of unique and original 
material from a wide range of organisations and individuals, offering an 
unparalleled resource for research and teaching.

*Research and Activities*

· The Centre and PETT have established the Institute’s first PhD 
research project, an investigation by Miss Elaine Boyling into the 
history of McGregor Hall Therapeutic Community, founded and managed by 
the Society of Friends. The project will also look at the wider role and 
involvement of Quakers in the history and work of therapeutic environments.

· A second PhD into the life, work and times of one of the pioneers of 
therapeutic community in Britain is in development, as is a 
post-doctoral research project on children’s mental health-related 
voluntary services in Birmingham.

· A small team from the Centre for the History of Medicine is already 
examining the archives and work of the late Harold Bridger.

· The inaugural conference of the IHWTE will take place on 7 December 
2007 in Toddington. The “*If it works*….” Conference will examine the 
history and presence of threats to the life and work of therapeutic 
environments and the consequences of traumatic closure; but it will also 
look at the factors that have assisted therapeutic communities to 
survive and thrive, and the strategies and adaptations adopted to ensure 
successful growth and service into the future.

· A research project evaluating the nature and potential of online 
virtual therapeutic environments has been initiated.

· The Committee has appointed a number of Fellows to support the 
Institute in its work.

*Future Plans*

§ _Publication Series_: The Institute a number of specialised projects 
and manuscripts in hand which we are preparing for publication, 
including an unfinished therapeutic community handbook by Richard 
Crocket; a monograph by Dennie Briggs on the history of therapeutic 
community within the United States Navy; a volume based on the 
transcripts of discussions about group therapy held at Northfield 
Military Psychiatric Hospital by Tom Main, Sigmund Foulkes, Harold 
Bridger and others; Tony Rees’ book on pioneering Birmingham 
philanthropist and social worker Frank Mathews; and Dennie Briggs’ book 
on Harry Wilmer.

§ _Conferences and Symposia_: The Institute has been invited to help 
organise an educational conference on therapeutic communities for the 
Royal Society of Medicine in the Summer of 2008, and are part of the 
organising group for the Oral History Society’s 2008 Annual 
International Conference “*Who Cared…?”* being hosted by the Centre for 
the History of Medicine in the University of Birmingham Medical School. 
We are also working with ESRC and Institute Fellow Andrea Wheeler on “*I 
Am, They Are, We Will Be: sustainability and therapeutic environments”,* 
a conference to be held at Toddington in 2008.

The Institute welcomes others to join them in developing the work and 
research of the Institute. For further details contact:

The Institute for the History and Work of Therapeutic Environments

PETT Archive and Study Centre

Church Lane

Toddington, near Cheltenham

Gloucestershire GL54 5DQ

Honorary Director: Dr Craig Fees

Telephone: 01242 620125

Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>

Website: http://www.ihwte.org.uk <http://www.ihwte.org.uk/>