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Children and young people are increasingly attending A&E departments with mental health concerns at an alarming rate, while growing numbers are facing prolonged waits for support. Using NHS England data obtained through a Freedom of Information request, the RCPCH has explored trends in emergency department attendances among children and young people between 2019 and 2025.
The analysis highlights a substantial rise in mental health-related attendances, particularly among younger children, alongside sharp increases in the number of children spending more than 12 hours in A&E. These findings point to mounting pressures across mental health, community and social care services, and reinforce the need for greater investment in prevention, early intervention and crisis support for children and young people.
A paediatrician's perspective
There continues to be an increase in the number of children and young people attending Emergency Departments with mental health crisis. These children are getting younger and their needs are increasingly complex.
Some children and young people who present in mental health crisis do not require hospital admission but cannot be safely discharged. Families may need additional support, community services may not be immediately available, and suitable placements can be difficult to secure. As a result, children may remain in Emergency Departments while alternative arrangements are sought.
Those experiencing the longest waits are often some of the most vulnerable children in society, frequently known to multiple services and often facing challenges across mental health, education, social care and neurodevelopmental pathways.
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