Mental health

Child mental health clinicians promote mental wellbeing and work with children and families with mental health difficulties. Find out more about the sub-specialty or our key topic page on child mental heath.

News

Sharp rise in children as young as six attending A&E in mental health crisis, RCPCH analysis reveals

2 September 2026

New analysis by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) reveals an unacceptable rise in the number of children and young people attending Emergency Departments in England with mental health concerns, with the sharpest increase amongst children between six and nine.

Resource

Children in crisis: Mental health pressures in emergency departments - quick read report

Published in September 2026, our quick read presents data about A&E attendances among children and young people between 2019 and 2025 in England. It includes insights from clinicians, children and families and our recommendations for improving mental health support and care pathways.

Emergency medicine

Mental health

Resource

Informing the mental health strategy for England: call for evidence – consultation response

In July 2026, RCPCH responded to the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) call for evidence to inform the development of a new mental health strategy for England. Our response focuses on the needs of infants, children and young people and highlights the importance of prevention, early in...

Document

State of Child Health 2026: Mental health

This indicator explores the prevalence of mental health conditions in children and young people. Comparisons across the UK are challenging due to the lack of routine, standardised data collection that enables consistent tracking of trends over time.

Mental health

Health policy

News

RCPCH responds to Children's Commissioner (England) mental health report

30 June 2026

On Monday 29 June, the Children's Commissioner for England published her fifth annual report on children's mental health services.

News

Celebrating members, thanking leaders and shaping our future - President's update

17 November 2025

Last week’s membership ceremony in Edinburgh gave us a moment to celebrate our newest Members and Fellows, and to bid a fond farewell to our CEO, Rob Okunnu, as he moves on after nearly 7 years at the College.

Course

How to Manage: Children and young people's mental health (online)

24 November 2026

This course will develop your skills and knowledge in effectively managing general mental health problems encountered in day-to-day clinics and increase your confidence in selecting appropriate interventions to support patients and their families.

Mental health

Medical Research Foundation - 2025 Emerging Leaders Prize [OPEN]

https://www.medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk/grants/2025-emerging-leaders-prize

The Medical Research Foundation are inviting applications from outstanding UK-based researchers who are making an impact in children and/or young people’s mental health research, and have demonstrated their potential to be research leaders of the future.

Award programme/theme

Project grant

Funding amount range

£250,001 to £500,000

Submission deadline

17 April 2025

News

A busy week in the child health world - President's update

3 February 2025

Steve covers lots of topics this week, including applications to ST1, mental health services and data from the new RSV vaccine. He also introduces our Air Pollution Companion and shares recent policy work from the devolved nations.

News

Soaring mental health admissions for children leaving acute services under immense pressure

22 January 2025

There was a 65% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to general acute medical wards in hospitals in England because of a mental health concern between 2012 and 2022.