One in 10 children in England referred for mental healthcare - with anxiety the main reason
Summary
More than one in ten children in England were referred to mental health services in 2024-25, a 10% increase from the previous year and nearly double the number from 2018-19. Anxiety is the most common reason for referrals, and many children face long waits for treatment, especially those with autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions.Key Facts
- Over 1 million children in England were referred for mental health care in 2024-25.
- Anxiety accounted for 16% of all mental health referrals.
- Referrals for suspected autism increased by nearly 50% in one year, reaching over 96,000.
- Other conditions like ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome also rose by almost 25%.
- More than one-third of children referred were still waiting for treatment; over 60,000 waited more than two years.
- Only about 20% of children with suspected autism or similar conditions received support, with an average wait time of one year.
- Black and Asian children are referred less often but are more likely to be in crisis when referred; one in four black children were in crisis compared to 7.4% of white children.
- Children from the poorest areas in England made up 15% of referrals, twice the share from the wealthiest areas.
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