Emergency mental health referrals for children in England have surged dramatically, with recent data showing a 10% increase in urgent cases over the past year. The rise is being attributed to long National Health Service (NHS) waiting times for routine mental health care, pushing many vulnerable young people into crisis situations.
According to an analysis by the mental health charity YoungMinds, from April to October 2024, a total of 34,793 referrals were made to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) crisis teams. This marks a significant increase from the 31,749 referrals recorded during the same period in 2023.
The report highlights that many children requiring emergency intervention are facing severe mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts and serious conditions such as eating disorders. Despite the urgent nature of their cases, many of these young people have been left waiting for months or even years for access to routine NHS mental health services, worsening their conditions.
The data also revealed a worrying increase in the number of very urgent cases. Between April and October 2024, there were 4,424 new very urgent referrals—an increase of 13% from 3,912 in 2023. Additionally, urgent referrals rose by 13% from 22,045 in 2023 to 24,886 this year. Although emergency referrals showed a slight decrease to 5,483, down 5% from the previous year, the overall rise in urgent and very urgent cases has placed considerable strain on crisis care teams.
YoungMinds has expressed grave concern over these trends, calling for immediate action to address the chronic underfunding and resource shortages within NHS mental health services. The charity is urging the government to prioritize investment in mental health care to ensure that children and adolescents receive the timely support they need before their conditions deteriorate further.
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