Record number of children referred to mental health services, new analysis suggests

Children and young people are ‘suffering terribly’ as Zoe Tidman finds

Child mental health referrals has risen since 2019, new figures suggest (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A record number of people aged 18 and under have been referred to mental health services, according to new analysis.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists found referrals for children and young people this year were nearly double levels seen before the Covid pandemic.

More than 190,200 people aged 18 and under were referred to mental health services during these these months in 2021, according to the body’s analysis of NHS Digital data.

This was compared to around 97,300 in 2019.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists also found the number of urgent referrals had risen to around 8,500 between April and June this year, which was several thousand higher than during these months two years before.

By the end of this June, a total of 340,694 people were in contact with children and young people’s mental health services - up from 225,480 in 2019.

Dr Elaine Lockhart from the Royal College of Psychiatrists called the figures “alarming”.

“The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the nation’s mental health, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that children and young people are suffering terribly,” the chair of the child and adolescent faculty said.

Experts involved in child mental health previously told The Independent there had been an increase in anxiety during lockdowns during the Covid pandemic, as well as on the return to school.

In a poll this year, staff in education said the mental health of pupils was their “single biggest concern”.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, the shadow mental health minister, said “The Conservatives have treated children as an afterthought throughout the pandemic, leaving too many young people without the support they desperately need.”

The Labour MP added: “Over a third of children were turned away from mental health services last year alone, and the implications will be felt for years to come.”

Dr Lockhart from the Royal College of Psychiatrists said: “Early intervention is key to recovery. Schools have a critical role to play in this and the education secretary must do all that he can to prioritise pupils’ mental health.”

Earlier this year, the government announced millions of pounds would go towards improving mental health support in schools to tackle the impact of the coronavirus pandemic by upgrading support available in education.

NHS England also said in May it was expanding its support in schools, with mental health teams ready to support more than one million children in the country and plans to increase this figure to around three million by 2023.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “We know the past year has brought additional challenges for many children and young people, which is why we’ve prioritised getting them back into the classroom and made their mental health and wellbeing a central part of our pandemic response.

“Alongside our ambitious education recovery plans, which can be used to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, we are also improving the support currently available in schools, including by offering training for a senior mental health lead in schools and colleges.”

Additional reporting by PA