NHS data shows a 36% increase in children and young people attending A&E for mental health crises between 2019 and 2025, with many facing long waits.
Key facts
- •Mental health-related A&E attendances for children aged six to 17 rose by 36% between 2019 and 2025.
- •There were 75,491 mental health-related A&E visits by young people in 2025.
- •Approximately 8% of these patients, totaling over 6,200 children, waited more than 12 hours.
- •The largest increases in attendances were observed among children aged six to nine.
- •The government plans to publish a new mental health strategy later this summer.
NHS doctors are warning of a significant increase in children and young people visiting A&E departments in England due to mental health crises. Analysis from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health indicates that attendances for issues including self-harm and emotional distress rose by 36% between 2019 and 2025. Many of these patients faced waits exceeding 12 hours, highlighting a lack of alternative community support.
By the numbers
Rising Demand and Wait Times
The analysis, based on Freedom of Information data from NHS England, recorded 75,491 mental health-related A&E attendances for children aged six to 17 in 2025, compared to 55,525 in 2019. This growth significantly outpaces the 8% rise in overall A&E attendances during the same period. Among these cases, more than 6,200 children—approximately 8%—waited over 12 hours for care.
Calls for Systemic Reform
Medical professionals and advocacy groups argue that emergency departments are not equipped to handle these crises. Dr. Sam Jones of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health described the situation as a national crisis, noting that children are often brought to A&E by families or police because no other support is available. Experts are calling for increased investment in community-based services, better staff training across health and education sectors, and a mental health strategy that prioritizes early intervention.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Health.
