Mental Health Awareness Week: What we’ve learned and where we go next

As Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 #MHAW2025 draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve heard, shared, and learned.

Over the past week, NCCH has highlighted the role of Creative Health—arts, cultural and creative approaches—in supporting the mental health of children and young people. We’ve shared evidence from global leaders like the World Health Organisation, University College London and the Wellcome Trust, practical examples from across the UK including personal stories from young people and health professionals alike.

We’ve spotlighted arts and heritage project from Hampshire to Merseyside and Manchester, which show how creative engagement improves confidence, reduces anxiety, and offers safe spaces for expression and belonging. From frontline clinicians to young people lived experience—they remind us that Creative Health isn’t a luxury. It’s essential and brings huge returns on investment.

It’s very clear: #CreativeHealth is a scalable, cost-effective approach that can be embedded into care pathways, social prescribing, schools and recovery strategies. And there’s growing appetite across (Integrated Care Boards) ICBs, Trusts, and primary care to act.

Want to get started?

• Explore our Creative Health Toolkit for implementation
• Read our case studies and blogs
• Look back at our social media campaign MHAW2025 for stats and key messages
  • Linkedin: National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH)
  • Bluesky: ncch.bsky.social  

This Blog has been written for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, as NCCH highlights the powerful role creative health can play in supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. With one in six children experiencing a probable mental health disorder, the demand on CAMHS, primary care and across systems continues to grow. Creative health offers an effective, non-clinical approach that can complement existing care pathways, and support prevention in population approaches, across primary care, schools and wider communities.