There has been a 77% rise in the number of children needing specialist treatment for severe mental health crises, analysis for the BBC reveals. Some 409,347 under-18s were referred to the NHS in England for specialist care for issues such as suicidal thoughts and self-harm between April and October 2021, compared with 230,591 in the same period in 2019.
At the end of October 2021, 349,449 under-18s were in touch with NHS child and adolescent psychiatric teams – the highest number on record. Schools are also reporting a surge in mental health problems below the threshold for specialist care, with pupils needing extra support such as counselling.
Almost 1,000 teaching and support staff who responded to a survey from the children's mental health charity Place2Be and the National Association of Head Teachers described seeing an increase in emotional and mental health issues among pupils since the pandemic, including anxiety. At Seascape Primary School in Peterlee, County Durham, counsellors normally see about 100 children per year, but in just the autumn term almost as many asked for help.
Among teenagers, almost half of secondary schools (46%) said pupils' mental and emotional health was the biggest challenge in helping them catch up with learning, according to recent government research. Year 11 pupil Harley, who has received extra support from his school, Horizon Community College in Barnsley, said his self-esteem plummeted after coming out of lockdown in 2021.
The government has committed an extra £79m for improving mental health support in England and promised 400 mental health support teams by 2023 to work with schools. The BBC has learned at least 183 are already running, with more staff in training. However, charities in the Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition warn the teams will only cover about a third of England's pupils.
