Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to implement Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child so that it supports childrens' mental health.

The Government remains committed to giving due consideration to Articles set out in the UNCRC through new policy and legislation. Article 31 refers to the right to relax and play and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic, and other recreational activities. Play and relaxation are important for children’s mental wellbeing. As such, we believe that it is important for all children to have access to a wide range of such recreational activities.

The Children Act 1989 and associated guidance place duties on a range of organisations, including schools, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. All schools should create a happy and supportive environment through a broad and balanced curriculum. They have a responsibility to ensure that all children have access to high-quality arts and cultural education. Pupils also have to study drama, as part of the English curriculum, and dance, as part of the PE curriculum.

Our guidance to schools on mental wellbeing, in particular the guidance on school-based counselling published in March, emphasises that support works best within a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. This includes a healthy approach to play and relaxation, as set out in Article 31.

In addition the Government has:

• Invested over £460 million between 2012 – 2016 in a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes to improve access to the arts for all children;
• Invested £5 million to fund projects in schools to help young people develop positive character traits, recognising excellent practice through the Character Awards and supporting research into what works best;
• Provided £4.7 million to voluntary and community sector (VCS) projects delivering support to children and young people with mental health issues;
• Committed to boosting children’s health, confidence and self-esteem through sport; for example, backing Sport England’s £1 billion investment in the youth and community strategy over 5 years;
• Guaranteed a place on National Citizen Service for all 16-17 year olds, which has already targeted 100,000 teenagers; and
• Invested £100 million in the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme – which has seen a number of successful bids aimed at supporting children’s mental health.