Crisis by Default: When Mental Health Services Fail Children in Need

A 36% increase in children and young people attending A&E units for mental health crises between 2019 and 2025 is a stark statistic. Many of these vulnerable children have nowhere else to turn when struggling with their mental health, as they are often only considered “unwell enough” to qualify for support once they’ve reached a crisis point.

The lack of community-based support services is the primary issue here. Emergency departments become the default option for families and carers who feel overwhelmed because there’s a shortage of accessible care. Dr. Sam Jones of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health notes that these children “were never designed to be a place where children in mental health crisis wait for days at a time.”

This is not just an issue of resources, but also one of training and support. Staff from various agencies across health, social care, and education need better guidance on helping young people struggling with their mental health. Gemma Byrne from Mind observes that “The current system…clearly isn’t working.” The fact that children are often only considered unwell enough to qualify for support once they’ve reached a crisis point is a damning indictment of the current approach.

Broader trends in mental health care contribute to this situation. Mental health services are under increasing pressure, with staff shortages and budget constraints exacerbating the problem. Children and young people – who are already more vulnerable to mental health issues due to factors like social media use, academic pressures, and family dynamics – are being pushed into a system that’s ill-equipped to deal with their needs.

The government’s plan to publish a new mental health strategy later in the summer is welcome, but it must be backed up by concrete action. Claire Evans from Anna Freud emphasizes that “The new mental health strategy must place children at its heart…creating the conditions for lifelong positive mental health.” This means investing in community-based support services, providing staff with better training and resources, and addressing the root causes of mental health issues among young people.

Ultimately, this is a crisis that demands urgent intervention – not just from government officials or healthcare professionals, but from all of us as a society. We need to take responsibility for ensuring that our children and young people receive the support they need early on, before their mental health problems escalate into full-blown crises. Anything less would be neglecting our most vulnerable citizens during a time when they’re most in need.

The clock is ticking – and it’s not just the children who are waiting.