Spending on Scotland's child and adolescent mental health services has more than doubled in a decade, yet thousands of children remain on waiting lists amid soaring demand.
Funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has increased by 118 per cent since 2014, rising from £67 million in 2014-15 to £146.5 million last year.
Waiting lists and referrals still high
Despite the substantial rise in government spending, a high number of children remain on waiting lists while referrals continue to climb. The latest official figures show 4,791 children and young people were on the CAMHS waiting list in March, with almost 10,000 referrals made in just three months.
The number waiting for treatment also increased, rising by 2.5 per cent from 4,674 at the end of March 2025 to 4,791 at the end of March 2026. A total of 9,807 young people were referred to CAMHS in the quarter ending March 2026, up from 8,895 in the same quarter the previous year.
Charities warn on funding target
Charities have warned that the Scottish Government's commitment to allocate one per cent of frontline NHS spending to child and adolescent mental health services by the end of the previous parliamentary term is impossible to meet.
The Scottish Children's Services Coalition, which campaigns to improve services for vulnerable children, said: "The increase in CAMHS funding is welcome, but the reality is that demand continues to outstrip the support available.
"More must be done to ensure children receive support at the earliest possible stage, before they reach crisis point.
"The Scottish Government must match its commitments with sustained investment in CAMHS, early intervention and community-based services.
"Investment must keep pace with rising need, but funding specialist services alone will not be enough.
"The forthcoming Programme for Government must deliver sustained investment in early intervention, prevention and accessible community-based support, ensuring children receive help before they reach crisis point."
Families face long waits for neurodivergent support
This follows a Sunday Mail investigation that found over 28,000 children are on waiting lists for autism and ADHD, with some waiting over four years without an appointment. It comes amid a national explosion in the number of children being diagnosed with Additional Support Needs (ASN), including autism and ADHD.
Desperate families told of the "emotional devastation" of waiting years for help for neurodivergent children. Scottish Autism CEO Dorry McLaughlin said: "With CAMHS teams facing pressures across the country, we need to see alternative approaches developed which enable families to receive appropriate support and timely assessment."
Mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said: "Thanks to our investment, waiting lists for CAMHS are at historic lows.
"More than 90 per cent of young people are being seen in 18-weeks. We will continue working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland has access to the right support."
