Rising numbers of children in mental health crisis ending up in A&E

There has been a sharp rise in children and young people attending A&E units in England in a mental health crisis, NHS doctors are warning.

The number of six to 17-year-olds turning up in significant distress for things like self-harm and eating disorders, or in emotional crisis, rose by 36% between 2019 and 2025, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health analysis.

Some faced waits of more than 12 hours once there. The college said A&Es were not the best place for them, but a lack of support in the community meant they often had nowhere else to turn.

The government said it was looking to improve services and would be setting out plans soon.

The analysis – based on figures provided under the Freedom of Information Act by NHS England – found there were 75,491 attendances at A&E by children and young people for a mental health concern in 2025.

That is up from 55,525 in 2019 with some of the biggest rises seen in very young children aged six to nine. The increases far outstrip the overall jump in attendances, which has risen by just over 8% over the period.

Doctors said the cases included children and young people brought in by families, carers and police – some of those in emotional crisis become aggressive or have challenging behaviour.

In total, more than 6,200, around 8%, waited over 12 hours in A&E.