The number of young people under 24 in contact with mental health services in England highest on record

Topic: mental health services, CAMHS

A young Black woman in a wheelchair and a young Black man on a bench, both staring at the camera looking serious.

New monthly data released by NHS England has revealed the number of young people aged under 24 in contact with mental health services in England has reached the highest level on record.

873,117 under 24-year-olds were in contact with mental health services in England at the end of May, the highest number since records began in 2016

377,017 under 18s were waiting for their first contact with services between March and May this year. They’ve waited an average of 276 days, up from 200 days compared with the same period last year.

Every month, the NHS statistics lay bare the shocking scale of the mental health emergency facing young people. For years, these figures have been jumping to new record highs and successive Governments have failed to act with the urgency and with the level of change that is needed. Today they reveal agonising waiting times for most young people who desperately need support. We know this delay in accessing support will often make their mental health worse, putting extra strain on the system. The knock-on effects on the individual, the NHS and the economy are incalculable. 

We need major reforms to address the root causes of poor mental health and for the Government to focus on reducing waiting lists so young people can get the support they need. The recent 10 Year Health Plan showed promising commitments with Young Futures Hubs and Mental Health Support Teams. These initiatives are vital to reducing pressures on the system, improving support and reducing waiting times - their rollout must be a priority. But more is needed to tackle the scale of need - we need radical solutions that will address the reasons why so many young people are struggling in the first place.