APPG on Creative Health – Children and Young People’s Mental Health Roundtable
Hosted on Tuesday 3rd June 2025, by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Creative Health, and the National Centre for Creative Health (Secretariat for APPG)
Children and Young People’s Mental Health Roundtable
This Roundtable discussed how creative health activities and approaches can support the mental health of children and young people. The prevalence of mental health conditions in children is rising, with around 20% of children and young people aged 8-16 estimated to have a probable mental health disorder in 2023. Those with special educational needs or disability (SEND) are much more likely to have a mental disorder.
Creative health offers an alternative approach to tackling rising mental ill-health, improving outcomes for individuals and systems, and reducing inequalities. Creative engagement can improve wellbeing and can prevent the onset of common mental health conditions. Embedded into prevention strategies and care pathways it can be an acceptable, effective and cost-effective intervention, providing a person-centred and holistic way to manage and recover from poor mental health. At this Roundtable we heared from senior mental health clinicians and public health leaders, young people with lived experience of mental health services, about the policy context, the research evidence, as well as inspiring examples of creative health in practice.
APPG Chair: Dr Simon Opher MP
Chairing supported by APPG Vice-Chair – Lord Kamall of Edmonton; and APPG member – Baroness Sheila Hollins.
Speakers included:
– Professor Daisy Fancourt, Social Biobehavioural Research Group at University College London (UCL)
– Christopher Bailey, World Health Organisation (WHO)
– Baroness Anne Longfield, Centre for Young Lives
– Gemma O’Brien, Lived Experience/ Research
– Dr Mayura Deshpande, Royal College of Psychiatrists
– Malaki Patterson and Vanessa Carr, Music Works, Gloucestershire
– Rod Kippen and Hafsa Hamid, 42nd Street, Manchester
– Professor Vicky Karkou, Arts4Us, Edge Hill University
– Dr Catherine Jenkins GP, Arts Boost, Wales
– Nathan Dennis, First Class Foundation
– Alexandra Brierley, Southbank Centre
– Baroness Sheila Hollins, Books Beyond Words
Full agenda and biographies of speakers can be downloaded here
https://ncch.org.uk/uploads/AGENDA-Children-and-Young-Peoples-Mental-Health-and-Creative-Health-030625.pdf
A direct transcription from the event can be downloaded here: https://ncch.org.uk/uploads/APPG-on-Creative-Health-%E2%80%93-Children-and-Young-People%E2%80%99s-Mental-Health-Roundtable.pdf