Active referrals to England child mental health services reach 1.05 million

Active referrals to children and young people’s mental health services in England reached 1,048,965 in the 12 months ending March 2025. The figure covers children who were referred, awaiting treatment, or receiving care during the period. It is nearly double the 563,639 recorded in 2018-19.

Referral growth by condition Referrals for suspected autism increased 47 percent to 96,393. Referrals for other neurodevelopmental conditions rose 24 percent to 133,435. Anxiety referrals grew 12 percent to 169,389 and made up 16 percent of all cases.

Neurodevelopmental conditions excluding autism accounted for 13 percent. Children under 10 were most often referred for neurodevelopmental conditions, while anxiety was the leading reason for those over 10.

Waiting times and system capacity The weighted average wait for treatment was 128 days. Of children still waiting at the end of the period, 60,041 had waited more than two years. The report noted that waits exceeding one year are now common. Officials recorded that more children received support last year than the year before, yet demand continued to exceed available capacity.

The Children’s Commissioner stated that roughly one in 10 children now have an active referral and called for coordinated action across health, education, and social care.