Over one million children referred for mental healthcare - with anxiety the main reason
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- Children's mental health referrals in England rose 10% in a year to over one million children — roughly one in 10 — almost double the 2018-19 figure, according to Dame Rachel de Souza's 2024-25 annual report.
- Anxiety was the most common referral reason at 16% of all cases, while suspected autism referrals surged nearly 50% in a single year to over 96,000; ADHD and Tourette's cases rose by nearly a quarter.
- Waiting times remain severe: over a third of referred children were still awaiting treatment, with more than 60,000 stuck on lists over two years — up from 44,000 the previous year.
- Fewer than one in five children with suspected autism or neurodevelopmental conditions received support in 2024-25, and those who did waited an average of one year.
- Black children were referred in crisis at sharply higher rates — one in four compared with 16% of Asian and 7.4% of white children — even though Black and Asian children were underrepresented in referrals overall.
- Children from England's poorest 10% of areas made up 15% of referrals versus 7.6% from the least deprived areas, according to the Commissioner.
- YoungMinds said it was "extremely concerned" about additional barriers and waits faced by Black and racially minoritized children and those with suspected neurodevelopmental conditions.
Why it matters: Dame Rachel de Souza warned demand is outpacing system capacity and funding, with more than 60,000 children waiting over two years for help — up from 44,000 the prior year — and the steepest impact falling on Black children and those from England's most deprived areas.
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