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NHS doctors in England have raised concerns about a significant increase in the number of children and young people attending emergency departments while experiencing a mental health crisis. According to an analysis by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the figure of children aged six to 17 arriving in A&E due to severe distress—such as self-harm, eating disorders, or emotional turmoil—has surged by 36% between 2019 and 2025. Despite this rise, many young patients face long waits, with some remaining in A&E for more than 12 hours. The RCPCH emphasizes that A&E settings are not ideally suited to handle these cases, yet the shortage of community mental health support often leaves families with no alternative.
Data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act from NHS England reveal that in 2025, there were 75,491 mental health-related A&E attendances among children and young people, up from 55,525 in 2019. The most marked increases were observed among the youngest group, those aged six to nine. This growth in mental health attendances greatly exceeds the overall rise in A&E visits, which went up by just over 8% during the same timeframe. Children and young people arriving in crisis are sometimes accompanied by families, carers, or police, and some present challenging behaviors including aggression. Around 8%—more than 6,200 individuals—experienced waiting times exceeding 12 hours in emergency care.
Dr. Sam Jones, who leads mental health initiatives at the RCPCH, highlighted the lack of comprehensive mental health and crisis services in many regions as a key factor contributing to the rising numbers. She stressed the human impact behind the statistics, noting, “Behind every one of these figures is a child or young person in distress and a family who didn’t know where else to turn.” She acknowledged that while emergency departments serve as a vital fallback, they were never designed for prolonged mental health crisis care, warning, “This is a national crisis that will only get worse without urgent intervention.” Dr. Jones called for more investment in children’s mental health services and improved training for professionals across health, social care, and education sectors to better support vulnerable young people.
Other experts voiced similar concerns. Dr. Mark Buchanan of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine pointed out that many young individuals in mental distress end up in A&E almost by default and deserve care in environments specifically tailored to their needs. Gemma Byrne from the mental health charity Mind described A&E as a frightening place for those in crisis, particularly children, reflecting that long waits there are “simply unacceptable.” She criticized existing mental health systems for providing support only when young people reach a severe threshold of illness, and advocated for the expansion of youth hubs that offer holistic support including mental health, employment, sports, and volunteering opportunities. The government is expected to release a new mental health strategy later in the summer, aiming to improve services, but a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson noted that steps are already underway, such as increased investment in school-based mental health teams and over 150 new mental health hubs in community settings. The spokesperson added, “No child should have to reach crisis point before getting the support they need.” Claire Evans from the mental health charity Anna Freud described the rising figures as deeply worrying, urging that the forthcoming strategy must center on children by fostering positive mental health and ramping up accessible community-based services
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