Steep rise in primary-aged children attending ED for mental health

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By Emma Wilkinson

There has been an “alarming” rise in the number of young children attending accident and emergency departments with mental health concerns and facing lengthy waits once there, according to an analysis of NHS data.

The steepest and most concerning increase has been in six-to-nine-year-olds, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) warned.

It highlights a lack of access to community mental health support before children reach crisis stage, they added.

Data from freedom of information requests showed a 62% rise in emergency department (ED) attendances for mental health in six-to-nine-year-olds in England between 2019 and 2025.

Overall, the figures showed 75,491 children and young people aged six to 17 years attending A&E with a recorded mental health concern in 2025 compared with 55,525 in 2019 – an increase of 36%.

The data also show a growing number of children and young people facing long waits in EDs for support from mental health teams.