The number of children in England referred to emergency mental health care has surged by 10% in just one year, as NHS waiting lists leave many young people without timely support, according to data analyzed by the mental health charity YoungMinds. From April to October 2024, there were 34,793 emergency, very urgent, or urgent referrals to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) crisis teams, compared to 31,749 during the same period in 2023.
Many of these cases involve children experiencing severe mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts and life-threatening eating disorders, who have been waiting months or even years for routine NHS care.
Lengthy Waiting Lists Push Children to Crisis Point
Laura Bunt, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, described the figures as a stark reminder of the crisis in children’s mental health care.
“Early support could prevent many young people from becoming more unwell, but instead their mental health is deteriorating, pushing them into crisis and, in some cases, putting their lives at risk,” Bunt said. “This is a shocking betrayal of young people and their mental health.”
She called for major reforms to address the root causes of the crisis and urged the government to fulfill its promise of establishing early support hubs in every community to ensure easier access to care.
Surge in Crisis Referrals
The analysis revealed a 13% increase in very urgent referrals, rising to 4,424 between April and October 2024, compared to 3,912 in the same period in 2023. Urgent referrals also climbed by 13%, reaching 24,886, up from 22,045 the previous year. However, emergency referrals fell by 5%, totaling 5,483.
Overall, there was a 10% rise in combined emergency, very urgent, and urgent referrals for children and adolescents in 2024.
Pandemic and Cost of Living Crisis Fuel Mental Health Decline
Dr. Elaine Lockhart, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Child and Adolescent Faculty, highlighted the pandemic and the cost of living crisis as key contributors to the growing demand for mental health services.
“We’ve seen a surge in young people experiencing mental health problems, and while services help thousands recover, they’re struggling to cope with soaring demand due to staff shortages and limited resources,” Dr. Lockhart said.
This strain on services has led to longer waiting lists, leaving many young people to reach crisis points before receiving care.
Eating Disorder Cases on the Rise
Separate data analyzed by PA Media revealed a 5% increase in hospital admissions for eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, further underscoring the severity of the mental health crisis among children and adolescents.
Government Promises More Resources
Acknowledging the challenges, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said, “We will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers, provide young people with access to a specialist mental health professional in every school, and establish a young futures hub in every community.”
However, mental health advocates stress the urgency of immediate action to prevent further deterioration of the nation’s youth mental health.
