More than 1 million children referred to mental health services in England as waiting lists grow

New figures reveal record demand for children's mental health support, with anxiety remaining the top reason for referrals.

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Published: June 29, 2026 at 1:28 PM

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More than 1 million children and young people had an active referral to NHS mental health services in England last year, according to a new report from Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza, highlighting the growing pressure facing families trying to access support.

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The report found referrals increased by almost 10% compared with the previous year and have nearly doubled since 2018-19.

For many parents, the figures will reflect the reality of long waits for assessments and treatment, with the report warning that demand continues to outstrip the capacity of services.

While more children are receiving treatment than previously, growing demand means many families are still facing lengthy waits for support.

The report also highlights a sharp increase in referrals linked to suspected autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, alongside anxiety, which remains the single biggest reason children are referred for mental health support.

Record numbers of children are being referred for support

According to the report, 1,048,965 children had an active referral to CYPMHS during 2024-25, the highest number recorded since the Children's Commissioner began analysing the data.

Dame Rachel de Souza described the findings as evidence of a growing challenge.

"I am in no doubt that we are facing a crisis in young people’s mental health," she wrote in the foreword to the report. "These are real children in distress, reaching a point where the only option available to them is a referral to mental health services. These are young people whose lives are on hold waiting for vital treatment for months, sometimes years."

In a press notice on the Children's Commissioner's website, she said: "There is no disguising the fact the figures in this report are stark. Roughly one in 10 children have an active referral to mental health services in England which clearly demonstrates the sheer scale of distress young people are facing today."

These are not just numbers, but children whose lives have been put on hold for months and, in some cases, years waiting for support they urgently need.

Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner

Thousands of children are facing long waits

Although the report found more children received support over the past year, waiting times have also increased.

Across all referrals, the average waiting time was 128 days. Children who went on to receive treatment within the year the data looks at waited an average of 35 days.

Of the children waiting for support at the end of 2024-25, more than 60,000 had been waiting longer than two years, up from more than 44,000 the previous year. Overall, more than a third of children referred were still waiting for treatment.

The report also found that children referred for suspected autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions were among those most likely to experience the longest delays.

Why demand is continuing to rise

The biggest reasons for referral by number were:

According to the report, the NHS does not know why over a third of children were referred because of data quality and recording issues.

The reason for referral with the biggest increase in numbers from 2023-24 to 2024-25 was suspected autism, up by almost 50%.

Autism referrals are rising sharply

One of the biggest drivers behind increasing demand is the rise in referrals for suspected autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Referrals for suspected autism increased by almost 50% in just one year, rising from 65,530 to 96,393. Referrals for other neurodevelopmental conditions also increased by 24%.

Despite this, children referred for suspected autism experienced some of the longest waits. Fewer than one in five received treatment during 2024-25, while only 13% of children referred for suspected autism had started treatment by the end of March 2025. Those who did receive support waited around a year on average.

Children's Commissioner calls for joined-up support

De Souza said improving children's mental health requires action beyond healthcare alone.

She said: "While there have been some encouraging signs, with more children receiving support last year, it is hard to ignore the colossal challenge facing mental health services, as demand outpaces system capacity and funding."

She added: "The way we look to support young people's mental health must change, we cannot address mental health alone in isolation; improving children's wellbeing requires action across government.

"At the same time, there must be a shift in how we approach children's mental health with greater focus on joined up services across health, education and social care to ensure children are getting the help they need in schools and the community. Only then will we stop asking 'What is wrong?', but rather 'How can we help?'"

What the report recommends

The report says children's mental health cannot be addressed through health services alone and calls for a dedicated children's focus within the Government's upcoming 10 Year Mental Health Strategy, jointly led by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education.

This should have a stronger focus on early intervention, better support for children with neurodevelopmental needs, improved accountability and closer links between schools, health services and community support.

"With the upcoming 10 Year Mental Health Strategy and reforms to the SEND system, we have a once in a generation opportunity to transform children's mental health and improve outcomes for children. In order for these to have the most impact they must be shaped and informed by children's own experiences and must be done collaboratively, not working in isolation, so that services offer earlier support, shorter waits and reflect what young people say they need to thrive," de Souza said.

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The report also found real-terms spending on children's mental health services increased to £1.1 billion in 2024-25. However, this represented a 2% increase, well below the almost 10% rise in referrals over the same period, suggesting investment is not keeping pace with demand.

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