A third of children referred to mental health services last year did not receive treatment, prompting calls for quicker rollout of school support amid fears existing services can’t cope.
A report from children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza found the proportion of children whose referrals closed before treatment has increased for the first time since 2017-18.
NHS data published last year found the proportion of seven to 16 year old children with a probable mental health disorder had increased between 2017 and 2022 from 12.1 per cent to 18 per cent.
For older children aged 17 to 19, it rose from 10.1 per cent to 25.7 per cent.
