The importance of arts and creativity in supporting children's wellbeing has been highlighted in a new report from the Child of the North initiative. The report, titled "Creating a Culture of Inclusive Opportunity: The Arts and Creativity Can Make a Difference," addresses concerns that funding cuts have reduced access to creative opportunities for many children, particularly those facing disadvantage or poor health.
Researchers argue that there are affordable ways for the government to support children's health and wellbeing through its Opportunity Mission. The update draws on input from young people involved with the Great North Youth Forum, run by Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust, emphasizing how arts and creativity contribute to inclusion and wellbeing.
Dr Emily Murphy from Newcastle University's School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics led the report. She stated: "We have shown how important creative expression is for child development, and the importance of embedding creative methods in our schools, our hospitals, and all places where children and young people spend their time. This is not an optional extra, it is a vital lifeline for many children. It offers millions of children the opportunity to communicate and express their ideas especially those growing up in disadvantage, including those living in poor health, with either long-term or complex health conditions. Government has the opportunity to address the education gap, by taking a cross-sector approach to supporting the wellbeing of these children. Their voices deserve to be heard."
The #ChildrenFirst campaign was launched at the National Opportunity Summit in Leeds earlier this year. Minister Josh MacAlister expressed his support for building a country that works for all children during his first day as Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Education.
This campaign builds on previous reports that examined issues such as poverty, special educational needs, school attendance, and mental health among Northern children. These reports provided evidence-based recommendations aimed at policymakers.
As part of #ChildrenFirst, toolkits were introduced to help schools, child health workers, and local authorities take practical steps toward improving children's health and wellbeing. These resources have been released weekly since September 12th alongside updated reports under "A country that works for all children and young people." The series is produced by Child of the North—a collaboration between N8 Research Partnership (which includes universities such as Leeds, Manchester, Durham, York, Lancaster, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle) and Health Equity North—alongside contributions from Centre for Young Lives think tank.
Baroness Anne Longfield from Centre for Young Lives commented: "Boosting children's opportunities to be creative can boost attainment, school attendance, and provide pathways into the creative industries. Widening access to creative activities in school and outside is so important to both our nation's economic and cultural prosperity, and to improving life chances for children and young people.
"I'm pleased the Government has taken up some of the proposals from Child of the North to increase funding through an Arts Premium Funding and expand children's entitlement to enrichment activities. At a time when our education system is looking at ways to improve children's wellbeing and to become more inclusive, a new focus on boosting creativity is more important than ever."
Each report draws on research by academic experts across Northern England universities as well as others like University of Bradford. Policy recommendations made within these documents have contributed towards shaping government efforts through its Opportunity Mission which aims at breaking down barriers between background circumstances and future success while ensuring every child receives optimal opportunities early in life.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams edited this series; he said: "If we are serious about giving every child a fair chance and creating a productive workforce then we must recognise that creativity is not a luxury for affluent pupils but an essential component of healthy development that needs to be available for all children. The evidence is clear: when we place arts and creative experiences at the heart of children's lives we open doors to learning confidence and wellbeing that might otherwise remain closed Disadvantage is widening so it is imperative that we strengthen opportunities that help young people Investing in creativity is one of the best investments we can make to support a generation that deserves nothing less than our full commitment."
The full report can be accessed online (https://www.n8research.org.uk/media/CotN_Arts-Creativity_Report_Update.pdf), along with further information about ongoing campaigns (https://www.n8research.org.uk/research-focus/child-of-the-north/2024-campaign/arts-creativity/).
