In a troubling trend, children as young as six are increasingly finding themselves in emergency departments across England due to mental health crises. This surge in cases, particularly among very young children, underscores a growing crisis in mental health care for the nation’s youth.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has revealed a 36% increase in mental health-related A&E attendances by children aged six to 17 between 2019 and 2025. This alarming rise, particularly among children aged six to nine, points to a systemic failure in providing timely and appropriate mental health support.
Emergency departments overwhelmed by young mental health patients
Emergency departments are seeing a significant influx of young patients experiencing mental health crises, including self-harm, eating disorders, and emotional distress. The RCPCH analysis, based on data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, shows that in 2025, there were 75,491 attendances for mental health concerns among children and young people, up from 55,525 in 2019.
One of the most concerning aspects of this trend is the length of time children are spending in emergency departments. Over 6,200 children, or 8% of those attending A&E for mental health reasons, waited more than 12 hours. Some faced waits of over 72 hours, highlighting the strain on the healthcare system and the lack of appropriate care pathways.
Parents and caregivers are often left with no alternative but to turn to A&E when their children are in crisis. Nicholas, a father of a 10-year-old son with autism and mental health issues, shared his struggles: “There is no support when in crisis. GP won’t prescribe anything. We are stuck on a children’s mental health waiting list which is the only service who can provide interventions. The system is broken.”
The urgent need for community mental health support
Experts agree that emergency departments are not the ideal setting for children in mental health crisis. Dr. Sam Jones, RCPCH officer for mental health, emphasized that “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 stressed that emergency departments were never designed to be a place where children wait for days at a time.
The lack of community support and early intervention services is a significant contributing factor to this crisis. Gemma Byrne of the mental health charity Mind stated that “A&E can be a frightening environment for anyone in mental health crisis, let alone a child. Making them spend more than 12 hours there is simply unacceptable.” She called for the expansion of young people’s hubs, which offer a range of support services.
The government has acknowledged the need for improvement and is planning to publish a new mental health strategy. However, critics argue that more urgent action is needed to address the growing crisis in children’s mental health.
End-of-life care disparities for seriously ill children
In a separate but related issue, seriously ill children in England are being denied the chance to die at home due to inadequate end-of-life care provisions. Campaigners have described this situation as “cruel,” highlighting the postcode lottery in palliative care that leaves many families without the support they need.
The NHS’s 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) are legally obliged to provide at-home end-of-life care for children, but a significant number are failing to meet this requirement. Freedom of information requests by Together for Short Lives revealed that 15 ICBs do not commission such services, while others provide only partial care.
Nick Carroll, chief executive of Together for Short Lives, criticized the NHS for not ensuring that all children who wish to can die at home with specialist support. He stated that “families have every right to be upset as they continue to be overlooked.” The lack of provision means that many children end up in hospital, often dying there rather than in the comfort of their own homes.
Sarah Buchan Cooke shared her experience of having her son Dylan die at home after a long hospital stay. She emphasized the importance of being able to choose between home and hospital care, stating that “you’re the one who knows your child best. That ability to choose means everything.” However, not all families have access to the same level of support.
The NHS Alliance acknowledged the need for universal access to end-of-life care for children but emphasized the complexity of commissioning such services. Ian Perrin, assistant director of integrated care, stated that “every child with a life-limiting condition, and every family supporting them, should be able to access high-quality, compassionate palliative and end-of-life care, regardless of where they live.”
