More than one million children in England were referred to mental health services in the year to March 2025, according to new figures published by the Children’s Commissioner.
The report shows that 1,048,965 children had active referrals during the 12-month period, representing around one in every ten children. The figure has almost doubled since 2018-19 and is up by around 10 per cent compared with the previous year.
Anxiety was the most common reason for referral, accounting for 16 per cent of all cases. Referrals for suspected autism increased sharply, rising by almost 50 per cent in a single year to more than 96,000.
Referrals for other neurodevelopmental conditions, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Tourette’s syndrome, also rose significantly, increasing by nearly a quarter.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza described the figures as evidence of a growing challenge facing young people and mental health services.
While more children received support during the year, she said demand continues to outstrip available resources, leaving many families facing lengthy waits for assessment and treatment.
The report found that more than a third of children referred were still waiting for support. More than 60,000 had been waiting for over two years, compared with around 44,000 the previous year.
Children referred with suspected autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions faced some of the longest delays. Fewer than one in five received treatment during the year and those who did waited, on average, around 12 months.
Dame Rachel called for closer co-operation between health, education and social care services to ensure children receive support earlier and closer to home.
The findings have also reignited debate among some clinicians, academics and education specialists about whether growing numbers of children are being diagnosed with conditions such as ADHD and autism, or whether greater awareness is simply identifying needs that were previously missed.
Some experts argue that modern childhood behaviours which were once considered part of normal development are increasingly being viewed through a medical lens. Children who daydream in class, struggle to concentrate for long periods, display high energy levels or find it difficult to sit still may now be more likely to be referred for assessment than in previous generations.
Others strongly reject suggestions of widespread over-diagnosis, arguing that many children have historically gone undiagnosed and unsupported, particularly girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Children’s Commissioner’s report itself notes that rising diagnosis rates do not necessarily mean the underlying prevalence of conditions is increasing. It suggests that improved recognition, greater awareness, changing attitudes towards seeking help and evolving social factors may all be contributing to the rise in referrals.
The report also highlights concerns about inequalities within the system.
Black and Asian children were found to be underrepresented in referrals overall, but more likely to be referred when already in severe distress or crisis. Around one in four black children referred to mental health services were already in crisis, compared with 16 per cent of Asian children and 7.4 per cent of white children.
Children living in the most deprived areas of England were also disproportionately represented, accounting for 15 per cent of referrals compared with 7.6 per cent from the least deprived communities.
Charity YoungMinds said it was concerned about the barriers some young people face in accessing support and warned that long waiting times continue to leave many children without help when they need it most.
The report concludes that while awareness and understanding of children’s mental health has improved significantly in recent years, services are struggling to keep pace with growing demand.
What do you think?
There is little doubt that conditions such as ADHD, autism and anxiety are real and can have a profound impact on children’s lives. Those affected deserve timely diagnosis and proper support.
Yet many parents and teachers will also recognise that children are naturally energetic, easily distracted, emotional and sometimes unable to concentrate. Daydreaming in class, fidgeting, talking too much and struggling to sit still have been part of childhood for generations.
So are we getting better at identifying children who genuinely need help, or are we increasingly turning normal childhood behaviours into medical conditions?
Some experts argue that thousands of children who would once have been labelled as lively, shy, dreamy or mischievous are now being assessed for disorders. Others insist that many children were historically overlooked and are finally receiving the support they deserve.
The truth may lie somewhere in between. But with more than one million children now referred to mental health services and waiting lists stretching into years, it is a debate that affects every family, every school and every community.
Are today’s children being over-diagnosed, or are we simply getting better at recognising genuine needs?
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