NHS doctors report a sharp 36% rise in children and young people attending emergency departments in England for mental health crises between 2019 and 2025, with primary school-aged children experiencing the fastest increase, according to figures analysed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Primary School Children Drive Sharp Rise in A&E Mental Health Visits
Emergency departments across England are seeing a surge in young people turning up in significant emotional distress, self-harming, or experiencing eating disorders. An analysis based on figures provided under the Freedom of Information Act by NHS England revealed that 75,491 children and young people aged six to 17 sought help at A&E for a mental health concern in 2025. That figure marks a 36% jump from 55,525 attendances recorded in 2019, far outpacing the overall 8% rise in general emergency department visits over the same period.
The steepest increases are concentrated among the youngest age groups. Data published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health shows that 6,269 children aged six to nine attended emergency rooms with mental health problems last year, representing a faster rate of increase than any other age group since 2019.
Doctors warn that this rapid rise among primary school-aged children carries severe long-term risks. Paediatricians point out that the vulnerable nature of young children’s neurodevelopment makes early intervention critical, and a lack of prompt support leaves them exposed to prolonged suffering.
Long Waits and Frightening Environments Compound the Crisis
Families arriving at emergency departments are frequently met with gruelling delays and environments that clinicians describe as actively harmful to patients in psychiatric distress. In 2025, more than 6,200 children—roughly 8% of all mental health-related youth attendances—waited over 12 hours in A&E.
The logjam is even worse for the most vulnerable patients. NHS figures analysed by paediatric specialists show a threefold increase in long-stayers, with more than 300 children waiting at least three days in emergency departments last year before securing a safe discharge destination or appropriate psychiatric support.
Sam Jones, RCPCH officer for mental health, stated that behind every one of those figures was a child or young person in distress, and a family who did not know where else to turn, adding that emergency departments were a vital safety net but were never designed to be a place where children in a mental health crisis waited for days at a time, calling it a national crisis that would only get worse without urgent intervention from government and NHS leaders, and asserting that no child should be spending 12 hours or more in A&E, let alone days to weeks, while waiting for the right support, concluding that the scandal had to end.
Nursing and mental health professionals argue that emergency rooms exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. According to representatives from the Royal College of Nursing, noisy, brightly lit emergency departments are frightening for children in distress and can cause those struggling to deteriorate further. Gemma Byrne of the mental health charity Mind added that forcing children to endure waits exceeding 12 hours in such settings is entirely unacceptable.
A Broken Community Safety Net and Frustrated Families
Medical professionals emphasize that families do not turn to emergency departments by choice. The influx into A&E stems directly from a near-total absence of early intervention services and community mental health support.
Nicholas, a father from England coping with his 10-year-old autistic son’s severe mental health challenges, described the reality facing households in crisis. His son’s condition has involved dangerous episodes, including attacking others and attempting to jump out of windows.
Nicholas, a father of two, explained via the BBC that there was no support when in crisis, noting that GPs would not prescribe anything, that they were stuck on a children’s mental health waiting list which was the only service that could provide interventions, and declaring that the system was broken.
When families do reach an emergency department, the experience often fails to yield medical evaluation. Nicholas noted that half the time patients do not see a doctor because the queues are so long that children calm down and leave to prevent further behavioral escalation.
Government Response and Upcoming Reviews
As medical bodies demand immediate executive action, officials point to incoming policy changes. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that no child should have to reach crisis point before receiving assistance. The government highlights ongoing efforts to ease access to mental health resources within schools and colleges, alongside the rollout of more than 150 new mental health facilities.
Additionally, a government-commissioned review covering ADHD, autism, and mental health services is expected to be published imminently, followed by a broader national mental health strategy scheduled for release later this year.
