- Record numbers of children and young people were referred to mental health services in March, with 932,822 under-18s having an active referral and 134,837 new referrals, both monthly highs.
- The charity YoungMinds, which analysed NHS England data, warned these figures highlight a “mental health emergency” facing youngsters.
- New referrals increased by 11 per cent from February and 2 per cent compared to the same period last year.
- Waiting times for these services reached unprecedented levels, with the average wait exceeding 300 days for the eighth consecutive month, standing at 301 days in March.
- In the most severe cases, young people faced waits of over two-and-a-half years, or 1,006 days, marking another record high.
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