Laura Huxley: A counter-intuitive visionary

Growing2gether’s radically different mentoring-in-reverse concept came from the beautiful counter-intuitive vision of Laura Huxley: that when two groups of vulnerable children are brought together, magic happens. Her baton is  carried forward by our founder, Diana Whitmore.

Laura Archera Huxley (1920–2007), visionary thinker and wife of the writer Aldous Huxley, lived with what she beautifully called ‘visionary common sense’ – an intuitive, compassionate way of seeing the world as it could be, not only as it was. She believed deeply in the innate value of every child and in the quiet power of being truly seen, heard and respected.

In 1977, Laura founded Children: Our Ultimate Investment (COUI) on a simple yet profound premise: that every child deserves a good start in life, surrounded by adults who are grateful that they exist. Her life’s work became a tireless advocacy for the smallest and most vulnerable, guided by an unwavering conviction that early care and respect shape the future of humanity.

By experiencing the responsibility of nurturing a younger child, teenagers might awaken a deeper sense of purpose

During the 1970s, teenage pregnancy had reached crisis levels across the Western world, particularly among young people facing poverty, trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Rather than responding with judgement or fear, Laura imagined something radically different. With characteristic courage, she proposed bringing together two groups of vulnerable children – disengaged adolescents and 3-5-year-olds needing extra support – within a carefully held early intervention programme she named Teens and Toddlers. Her insight was beautifully counter-intuitive: that by experiencing both the privilege and responsibility of nurturing a younger child, teenagers might awaken a deeper sense of purpose, empathy and possibility for their own lives.

Laura’s lifelong friendship with Diana Whitmore became pivotal at a time when the programme struggled to flourish in the United States. Out of love for her mentor, Diana agreed to pilot the initiative in the UK. She could not have imagined what would unfold.

By weaving Laura’s vision together with positive and transpersonal psychology – and rigorously evaluating the outcomes – the programme revealed remarkable transformations. Alongside reduced teen pregnancy rates came profound increases in self-esteem, emotional intelligence, aspiration and mental wellbeing. Young people re-engaged with education and, perhaps most importantly, discovered that they mattered – that they could contribute, make a difference, and hold a valued place within their community.

The rest, as they say, is history. When two groups of vulnerable children are brought together in a safe, nurturing space, something extraordinary happens: healing attachment experiences are formed for both, and quiet magic unfolds.

Diana founded Teens and Toddlers in England in 2001, and later Growing2gether in Scotland in 2017 – carrying forward Laura’s original vision of compassionate, transformative connection across generations.

Growing2gether Scotland has reached thousands of children and young people since 2017. Today a wonderful team of facilitators works with the young people, doing so with passion and a heartfelt motivation. Special thanks to Marjie Beach and Jyan Bean who designed the original Growing2gether curriculum, which has evolved over the years to adapt to the changing times.