The number of children and young people accessing NHS-funded mental health services has increased by nearly 80,000 in the past year, sparking renewed concern over a system already under strain.
The figures are analysed in a new report, titled Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing Update: Learning what works in a worsening crisis, which has been released as part of the Child of the North’s #ChildrenFirst campaign.
According to the report, referrals rose from 749,833 in 2023 to 829,308 in 2024/25 - an 11% increase - highlighting what experts warn is a worsening crisis since the Child of the North report first raised the issue in 2024.
Young people were neglected through the pandemic, and this report shows just how harmful this has proved to the mental wellbeing of the next generation.
The new analysis builds on a major series of reports produced last year on key topics identified by Northern child health leaders as major issues of concern, including poverty, special educational needs, school attendance and mental health.
It looks at the impact of the UK government’s whole-school approach to mental health, which is focused on embedding wellbeing into every aspect of school life, not just through isolated programmes. It emphasises leadership commitment, supportive school ethos, and staff training, alongside a curriculum that builds resilience and emotional skills.
The #ChildrenFirst campaign also includes the launch of free toolkits designed to help schools, child health workers and local authorities take practical steps to improve the health and wellbeing issues faced by the children and young people in their care.
Dr Ruth Wadman, who completed the work at the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences, and now at the University of Bradford, said: “Our report describes an assessment and support system under unsustainable pressure, as rising demand collides with entrenched inequalities and an overstretched NHS.
“There is some cautious optimism, however, in that the government’s flagship Mental Health Support Teams are beginning to make an impact on persistent school absence, but the system is not delivering at scale or with any consistency across the country.”
School impact
The report shows that schools can make a significant difference to mental health outcomes, as they are places of connection, belonging and support - or they can be a place where children experience stress, exclusion and inequality.
Researchers argue that it is not enough to have the right words to use with children in need of support, but the right resources to build strong relationships with every child and be prepared to offer swift support whenever a child needs it, and for every child that needs it.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams, from the University of Leeds’ School of Psychology, and report series editor, said: “Young people were neglected through the pandemic, and this report shows just how harmful this has proved to the mental wellbeing of the next generation. These numbers rapidly turn into personal family tragedies through suicide and young people's futures being derailed.
“Child of the North has put forward evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and ‘How To’ guides for practitioners. We are now calling on everyone to play their role in reversing these statistics and help build a country that works for all children and young people.”
Professor Kate Pickett, Academic Co-Director at Health Equity North from the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences, said: “We now need more systematic evaluation of what works for schools and children, and in particular we need to ensure that children in disadvantaged areas, particularly in the North of England where need is greatest, are not left behind.
“We have the promise of better services and improved outcomes, but we need to see this in practice and more consistently across the country.”
Policy recommendations
The report is one of 12 in the #ChildrenFirst campaign, based on in-depth research carried out by academic experts in children and young people’s health and wellbeing from universities across the North of England and beyond, including N8 Research Partnership members at York, Leeds, Manchester, Durham, Lancaster, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle, the University of Bradford, and others.
The policy recommendations made in the reports have helped to shape the Government's Opportunity Mission - the goal of which is to break down the link between a person’s background and their future success, and giving children the best start in life.
Further information
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