Children as young as six are increasingly arriving at A&E in mental health crises, with emergency services overwhelmed and calls for urgent community support and strategic reform.
Children as young as six are arriving at emergency departments in England in mental health crisis at sharply higher rates, as paediatric doctors warn that overstretched services are leaving families with nowhere else to go.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said attendances by 6- to 17-year-olds for mental health concerns rose by 36% between 2019 and 2025, from 55,525 to 75,491. The steepest increase was among children aged six to nine, where figures were up 62%, according to the college’s analysis of NHS England data.
The pressures inside A&E are also growing more severe. ITV reported that the number of children waiting more than 12 hours in emergency care has climbed from 1,964 in 2019 to 6,235 in 2025, with the Royal College warning that emergency departments are not designed to meet the needs of young people in crisis. Doctors said cases often involve self-harm, eating disorders or acute emotional distress, and can include children brought in by parents, carers or police.
Dr Sam Jones of the Royal College said the figures reflected a wider failure in community care and crisis support. Mind said long waits in a frightening environment were unacceptable, while Anna Freud urged ministers to put children at the centre of the new mental health strategy. The Department of Health and Social Care said it was investing in mental health teams for schools and more than 150 new community hubs, and said no child should have to reach crisis point before getting help.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
