A worrying increase in emergency mental health referrals for children in England has emerged, with a 10% increase in the past year. This comes amid growing concerns over NHS waiting times which are pushing young patients into crisis.

The analysis, by mental health charity YoungMinds, revealed there were 34,793 emergency, very urgent, or urgent referrals to child and adolescent mental health services crisis teams between April and October 2024. This marks a significant increase from the 31,749 referrals documented during the same period in the previous year.

YoungMinds' chief executive Laura Bunt emphasised the gravity of these findings, highlighting the critical need for earlier intervention to prevent thousands of children from reaching severe stages of mental illness.

“Early support would help prevent many young people from becoming more unwell, but instead their mental health is deteriorating, pushing them into crisis and in some instances putting young people’s lives at risk,” said Laura. “This is a shocking betrayal of young people and their mental health.” Laura also called for major reforms to address the root causes of why so many young people are struggling as well as more accessible pathways to support. 

Clinical psychologist, Dr Alexandra Nielson, says that paying attention to young people is essential in terms of early intervention: “Start mapping out what is going on for them. What music are they listening to, how much time do they spend on devices (social media, Xbox, PlayStation, etc) and has this increased?” 

“Who are their friends? Has anything changed in their social group? Have they changed their appearance in ways you are surprised by? How do they express their emotions and has this changed? How do they deal with conflict or problems and has this changed? By paying attention it makes it easier to notice shifts over a couple of weeks.”

Watch for other changes, such as sleeping significantly more or less, withdrawing from activities they used to enjoy, sudden changes in eating habits, or declining performance at school. The key is to notice patterns rather than one-off incidents. 

Unexplained physical ailments can be symptoms of deeper issues too. Stay alert for frequent headaches, stomach aches, or feeling tired all the time as these can be signs of underlying emotional distress, especially in younger children who may struggle to express their feelings verbally. Notice any changes in emotional regulation. For example, if a child who is normally even-tempered begins having frequent outbursts, seems irritable, or expresses feelings of hopelessness, these could be early warning signs. 

When it comes to encouraging them to open up, start with gentle conversations in a relaxed setting. “Pick a time and place that will be the most comfortable, rather than trying to fit in a conversation when you are rushing,” says Dr Neilson. “You can think of this as a continuous conversation and you do not need to have all the answers.” 

First validate their feelings ("It seems like you're feeling really frustrated lately, and that's okay"), then work together to identify and name their emotions. “Keep in mind your own capacity to have these conversations,” says Dr Neilson. “You may even consider whether you are the best person to have this conversation, or if there is someone else you trust in your child’s life that you can ask for support.”