Urgent referrals to children’s mental health services 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.

Latest NHS data^[1], analysed by YoungMinds shows very urgent referrals and urgent referrals to children and young people’s mental health services are the highest on record.

There were 1,253 new very urgent referrals in March 2025, up from 760 at the same time last year. And new urgent referrals reached 4,576 in March 2025, the third consecutive month the numbers have been above, 4,000.

And open referrals are the second highest on record at 562,842, after last month’s record high of 577,551.

Again we’re seeing record numbers of young people needing mental health support.

Those requiring a very urgent referral are at the sharpest end of mental health need and the fact we’re seeing record numbers of them is something that the government needs to take seriously.

We know many young people face long waits for mental health support and become more unwell while waiting, which can lead to needing more urgent care.

Growing up today is incredibly tough. Many young people are experiencing multiple pressures which impact their mental health, including poverty, inequality, intense academic pressure, and the online world. It’s no wonder so many are struggling, and they need to be able to access mental health support much sooner.

The Government must focus on getting the waiting lists down and making sure young people get the support they need to live happy and fulfilled lives. This means major reforms to address the root causes of poor mental health and making sure young people can access help when they need it, to prevent them becoming more unwell. The Government must also urgently fulfil its promise to roll-out early support hubs in every community.