Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of workforce shortages in creative therapies for children and young people.

While no such specific assessment has been made, more young people are being supported to access National Health Service mental health services. In the first 12 months of the Government, nearly 40,000 more children and young people received support compared to the previous 12 months. This is helped by over 8,000 extra mental health workers being recruited since July 2024.

Work is ongoing in NHS England to determine the adequacy of creative therapies, including art, music, dramatherapy, via the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan. The plan is expected to be published later in the spring.