Government told ‘urgent’ action needed to tackle young people’s mental health crisis

Close to four million referrals for youth mental health care could be submitted prior to the next parliament, charity leaders estimated while warning that "support is not keeping up with rising levels of need".

The Future Minds campaign, formed of youth charities and mental health groups, argued that Labour’s initial two years in power showed its strategy on young people’s mental health "requires urgent improvement".

The coalition, including the Centre for Young Lives, Mind and the Centre for Mental Health, stated: "No progress has been made on introducing new access and waiting time standards for children and young people’s mental health services."

A study released by the Children’s Commissioner in June showed that over a million children – roughly one in 10 – across England were referred for, awaiting or receiving mental health treatment in the year leading to March 2025.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza stated she is "in no doubt that we are facing a crisis in young people’s mental health".

Future Minds has estimated that, using the average 115,000 monthly new referrals of children and young people for mental healthcare up to June 2026, "a further 3.9 million referrals could be made in England between now and August 2029, if referrals continue at this level".

The report's authors noted that a single referral does not automatically equal one young person.

Citing the Children’s Commissioner’s finding that 29% of children had referrals closed prior to care, Future Minds calculated around 1.1 million children and young people might be referred without getting treatment before the end of this Parliament.

It also highlighted ongoing extensive delays, citing the commissioner’s data that the weighted median wait for children and young people during 2024/25 reached 128 days.

The alliance commended the Government for measures such as lifting the two-child limit to potentially pull 450,000 children out of poverty, enshrining stronger rights for workers and tenants, and pledging a mental health specialist in every English school.

However, it criticised other youth policies, arguing the proposed social media ban for under-16s "overlooks" older teenagers.

It further warned that conversion therapy ban legislation "must pass this Parliament, without amendments that would dilute its impact", asserting that Government backing for the equality watchdog's revised single-sex spaces guidance earlier this year "poses a major risk to the mental health of trans and non-binary children and young people".

Haroon Chowdry, chief executive of the Centre for Young Lives, said: "The mental health of children and young people is one of the defining challenges of our time.

"The support is not keeping up with rising levels of need. The Government does deserve credit for making progress in some areas. But overall, its response falls well short of the scale of the challenge and therefore requires urgent improvement.

"If the Government does not change course, then it will break its promise to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.

"More than a million children – the equivalent of the population of Birmingham – could lose out on support.

"Every single one of them is a child with hopes, talents, and ambitions, left to wait out their teenage years in despair because successive governments have failed to prioritise their mental health.

"Piecemeal action will not be enough.

"The forthcoming mental health strategy must be a turning point, backed by the investment, ambition and reform to ensure every young person can have good mental health, and gets help before they reach crisis."

Sam Dick, associate director of policy at the Centre for Mental Health, said: "There is no avoiding the fact that, if current trends continue, millions of children and young people will require support for their mental health and far too many will wait far too long to get the support they need.

"What this report demonstrates is that addressing the children and young people’s mental health crisis requires genuine cross-Government action – it cannot simply be seen as a health issue.

"The forthcoming mental health strategy is an opportunity that must not be missed."

An official review into autism, ADHD and mental health is due for publication shortly, with its lead author noting it "dismisses the idea of a snowflake generation".

Professor Peter Fonagy has maintained "it’s harder to be young now", telling the BBC recently that a genuine rise in youth mental health problems has occurred while confirming he will urge improved support.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “These figures show exactly why we are investing a record £16.1 billion in NHS mental health services this year and working to ensure that everyone who needs support is able to access it at the earliest opportunity, and as conveniently as possible.

“This includes increasing access to early support hubs and community mental health centres, which provide people with the help they need before they reach a crisis point, and rolling out support teams across in every education setting in England, so young people can get professional support in their own schools and colleges.

“And later this year, our Mental Health Strategy will set our long-term plans to improve access to high-quality mental health support, and get the right support at the right time to everyone who needs it.”