NHS Children and Mental Health Report
One in five children and young people had a probable mental disorder in 2023
In November 2023, the NHS published the Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 Report, leading to the headline in the press that "One in Five Children and Young People in England aged 8 to 25 had a Probable Mental Disorder in 2023". The research was carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), University of Cambridge and University of Exeter.
The statistics are shocking but not surprising to us here at the Child Psychotherapy Council where we are frequently hearing about the difficulties and associated stress of finding help for children and adolescents from the overstretched NHS.
The NHS has measures in place to improve access to mental health support via schools and colleges which will be rolled out over the next few years, but this will take time and how can we be sure that it will be enough.
The statistics relating to eating disorders are particularly concerning and raise questions about how this presentation of emotional distress is being managed by the NHS.