She is lead editor (with Dr. Daniel S. Pine, NIMH) of the authoritative textbook Rutter's Textbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Anita was awarded a CBE for services to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2017, the President’s Medal from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2015 for contributions to policy, public knowledge, education and meeting population and patient care needs and the Ruane Prize 2015 from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, USA for outstanding Child & Adolescent Psychiatric research.

In 2025 she was awarded the World Federation of ADHD, Heinrich Hoffman Medal, for a life devoted to clinical work, teaching and research on ADHD and also the International Society for Psychiatric Genetics, Ming Tsuang Lifetime Achievement Award and also 2024.
She has served on Welsh Government Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Policy and Ministerial Advisory groups including currently for adult ADHD, and has been chair of the NHS England ADHD Taskforce and a member of the Dept for Education Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group. https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/126769-thapar-anita