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.
To reduce demand, policymakers have focused on tackling the problem upstream, putting support into schools and walk-in hubs on the high street to deliver early intervention that prevents the need for referral to specialist provision.
The government has pledged new legislation to boost wellbeing by tackling several of the contributory factors to children’s mental ill health. However, with many public services competing for extra funding, campaigners are concerned there will be sufficient resources to make inroads into delays.
CYP Now’s special report on children’s mental health assesses the current policy landscape, gathers the views of experts on the need to tackle child poverty to improve children’s mental wellbeing, and showcases examples of good practice that are improving outcomes for young people.
Read more in CYP Now's Children's Mental Health Special Report:
- Key policy developments
- The big debate: Tackling mental health and poverty together
- Key data: children's treatment for mental health problems
Practice examples:
