More than one million children referred for mental health support as autism assessments soar
Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
More than one million children and young people in England were referred to NHS mental health services last year, with suspected autism and anxiety among the biggest drivers behind the rising demand, according to a major new report.
Analysis of NHS England data by the Children’s Commissioner for England shows that 1,048,965 children had active referrals to Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) during the 12 months to March 2025 – equivalent to around one in every 10 children.
The figure represents a 9.5 per cent increase in just one year and is almost double the 563,639 referrals recorded in 2018-19, highlighting the growing pressure on children’s mental health services across the country.
In her annual report, Dame Rachel de Souza said she was “in no doubt that we are facing a crisis” in young people’s mental health.
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.”
The report found that more than one in three children referred were still waiting to begin treatment. More than 60,000 had been waiting for over two years – around 15,000 more than the previous year – while the average waiting time for support was 128 days.
Anxiety was the most common reason for referral, accounting for 16 per cent of all cases. However, the sharpest increase was seen in suspected autism, with referrals rising by 47 per cent in a single year to more than 96,000. Referrals for other neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome, increased by nearly a quarter.
Despite the rising number of referrals, fewer than one in five children with suspected autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions went on to receive support during 2024-25. Those who did typically waited around a year before receiving help.
The report also highlights inequalities in access to mental health services. Children living in the most deprived parts of England accounted for 15 per cent of referrals, compared with 7.6 per cent from the least deprived areas. Black and Asian children were also found to be underrepresented in referrals and were more likely to reach services only when experiencing severe distress or crisis.
Dame Rachel said the NHS data “clearly demonstrates the sheer scale of distress young people are facing today”.
She continued: “While there have been some encouraging signs, with more children receiving support last year, it is hard to ignore the colossal challenge facing mental health services, as demand outpaces system capacity and funding.”
Although real-term spending on children’s mental health services increased to £1.1 billion in 2024-25, the report notes that funding has not kept pace with demand. Spending rose by around two per cent, while referrals increased by almost 10 per cent over the same period.
Dame Rachel also called for “greater focus on joined-up services across health, education and social care to ensure children are getting the help they need in schools and the community”. She has also recommended that the Government develops a strategy to address the causes of poor mental health and wellbeing, alongside reforms to England’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system.
The findings are likely to resonate with many modern families, where schools, GPs and support services continue to report growing demand for help with anxiety, autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
While awareness and diagnosis have improved in recent years, the report suggests that access to timely support has not kept pace with growing demand, leaving many children and families facing lengthy waits for assessment and treatment.
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