ENGLAND — More than 1 million children were referred to mental health services across England in the 2024-25 period, according to a report from the Children's Commissioner for England. This marks the first time active referrals to children and young people's mental health services in England surpassed 1 million. Referrals increased by approximately 10% from the previous year. The number of active referrals in 2024-25 was almost double the figure recorded in 2018-19.

Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner, stated that the country faced a "crisis" in young people's mental health. De Souza said there was "no disguising the fact the figures in this report are stark." She added, "These are not just numbers, but children whose lives have been put on hold for months and, in some cases, years waiting for support they urgently need."

More than 60,000 children were waiting over two years for mental health support in 2024-25, an increase from more than 44,000 in the previous year. Children referred for suspected autism and neurodevelopmental conditions were among those most likely to face the longest wait times. Anxiety was the most common reason for referrals, accounting for 16% of them.

Minesh Patel, Associate Director for Evidence, Advocacy and Performance at Mind, expressed concern. "The scale of demand and the unmet need set out in this report is deeply concerning," Patel said. He added, "With more than 1 million children now referred to mental health services, but many waiting months or years for support, it's clear that the system is struggling to respond to the mental health challenges that young people are experiencing." Patel also said, "It is particularly worrying that over a third of children are still waiting for treatment – many for more than two years."

Previous research by the Royal College of Nursing found that children and young people in England experiencing a mental health crisis were spending up to three days in an A&E unit before being given a bed in a specialist unit.