Children and young people in England experiencing a mental health crisis are spending up to three days in A&E before being admitted to a specialist unit, according to NHS figures. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the delays as a 'catastrophic system-wide failure' and warned that seeking help in emergency departments can be 'damaging and potentially traumatising' for young patients.
Freedom of information requests by the RCN to NHS trusts revealed that the number of under-18s waiting at least 12 hours for a mental health bed has more than trebled, from 237 in 2019 to 802 in 2025. Three trusts reported that children had waited three days or more in A&E. One children's nurse described the situation as 'frankly barbaric' and said staff are increasingly using medication to sedate distressed young people.
The RCN estimates that nearly 500,000 under-18s have sought help for mental health problems at A&E units in England since 2019. Dr Sam Jones from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health noted that children are now often more unwell than in the past, with problems becoming more complex and severe. The RCN and RCPCH are urging ministers to speed up the rollout of mental health emergency units to provide alternative care away from A&E.
An NHS England spokesperson acknowledged that busy A&Es are not the right place for mental health crises and highlighted that children can access 24/7 support through NHS 111. They added that mental health services have been expanded, with 70% more children receiving support than before the pandemic.
