The proportion of the child population with a recognised mental health condition has risen from one in 10 in 2004 to one in five in 2023.
The rise has been attributed to a range of factors including the pressures of social media, anxiety over school and exams, and the impact of the pandemic.
The recent cost-of-living crisis has also heightened children’s financial worries, according to research. This has compounded the squeeze on family finances seen during the previous decade of austerity which also coincided with a surge in levels of child poverty.
Rising demand for children’s mental health services has seen spending increase - but not at fast enough rate to prevent long delays in accessing support. Too many children still wait more than a year for an appointment with child mental health professionals.
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