The mental health of young children in England is reaching a critical point, with a dramatic increase in emergency department visits for mental health crises. According to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) children as young as six are now regularly attending A&E departments due to severe emotional distress, self-harm, and eating disorders.
This alarming trend underscores a significant gap in community mental health support, leaving vulnerable children with no alternative but to seek help in emergency settings ill-equipped to address their needs.
Alarming Increase in Mental Health-Related A&E Visits
Between 2019 and 2025, the number of children aged six to 17 attending A&E for mental health concerns surged by 36% according to RCPCH analysis of NHS England data. In 2025 alone, there were 75,491 such attendances, up from 55,525 in 2019. The most concerning rise was among children aged six to nine, with a 62% increase in A&E visits for mental health issues.
The data reveals that many of these young patients faced extended waits in A&E, with over 6,200 children waiting more than 12 hours for care. Some even endured waits of three or more days before being transferred to appropriate mental health facilities or safe environments.
The Inadequacy of A&E for Mental Health Crises
Experts emphasize that A&E departments are not designed to handle mental health crises, particularly for children. Dr. Sam Jones RCPCH officer for mental health, highlighted the inadequacy of emergency departments as long-term solutions for children in distress. ‘Emergency departments are a vital safety net, but they were never designed to be a place where children in mental health crisis wait for days at a time,’ she stated.
The lack of accessible community mental health services and crisis support forces families to turn to A&E as a last resort. This situation not only strains the emergency healthcare system but also fails to provide the specialized care that children in mental health crises desperately need.
Urgent Calls for Systemic Change
Healthcare professionals and mental health charities are urging the government to prioritize prevention and early intervention. Gemma Byrne of Mind a leading mental health charity, criticized the current system for only providing support when young people are deemed ‘unwell enough’ to qualify. She advocated for a shift to same-day, open-access mental health support to ensure timely care.
The government has acknowledged the need for improvement and is planning to publish a new mental health strategy later in the summer. However, critics argue that more immediate action is required to address the growing crisis. Investments in school mental health teams and the establishment of over 150 new mental health hubs in community locations are steps in the right direction, but experts insist that a comprehensive, long-term strategy is essential to prevent further deterioration in children’s mental health.
The mental health crisis among young children in England demands urgent attention and action. Without significant improvements in community support and early intervention, the number of children turning to A&E for mental health care will continue to rise, placing an unsustainable burden on emergency services and, more importantly, failing the most vulnerable members of society.
