Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has the Government made on the effectiveness of CAHMS online therapies as opposed to in person support.

The Department has not made a specific assessment on the effectiveness of Children and Young People Mental Health (CYPMH) online therapies as opposed to in-person support.

However, more widely, the Department draws on a growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of digital and online therapies for CYPMH, including findings from ongoing evaluations, research programmes, and clinical trials. This includes research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, international evidence on digital innovation, and evidence generated through local service evaluations.

Digital and online interventions can provide young people with flexible, timely, and accessible support, and form an important part of a modern, blended mental health offer.

The Government has committed to harnessing safe and effective digital tools across the National Health Service, including through the 10‑Year Health Plan’s focus on digitally enabled care, to improve access, increase choice, and support earlier intervention for children, young people, and families.