Number of children referred to mental health services increases by more than 60 per cent in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

NHS digital data shows that in 2019-20, 9,190 under-18s were referred to mental health services across the area covered by NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group.

This was a 62 per cent increase on the previous year, when 5,675 children were referred and this was for the period prior to the pandemic and the much-publicised effects lockdown has had on young people’s mental health and feelings of separation from friends and isolation from school.

The Children’s Commissioner is urging the Government to introduce an NHS-funded counsellor for every school among fears that thousands of children are being left without support.

However, children are waiting less time to access treatment around the city. The average number of waiting days has fallen from 57 to 43.

Of the total number of children referred to mental health services, 1,860 were seen within six weeks – however 515 children had to wait longer than 12 weeks.

There were also 3,510 children who saw their referral being closed before treatment.

These children may not have required specialist treatment, they may have been referred to services funded by non-NHS organisations or chosen not to enter treatment.

The data provided does not specify why a referral was closed.

The Children’s Commissioner says there is a lack of ambition in improving children’s mental health services, despite numerous Government announcements.

Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “Even before the Covid pandemic, we faced an epidemic of children’s mental health problems in England and a children’s mental health service that, though improving significantly, was still unable to provide the help hundreds of thousands of children required.

“The Government’s plans must include a rocket boost in funding for children’s mental health, to expand services and eliminate the postcode lottery.

“As an absolute minimum, all schools should be provided with an NHS-funded counsellor, either in school or online.”

The data also shows that NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG spent around £49 per child on mental health services well below the national average of £66.

Across England, 538,564 under-18s were referred to mental health services in 2019-20, 35 per cent more than the previous year.

A spokesperson for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We know how important mental health support is for our children and young people which is why we’ve invested in support teams in schools, crisis support, and young people eating disorder services.

“While there is more to do, we want to make sure that every child and young person gets the support they need as quickly as possible, and we have spoken directly to children, young people, and parents and carers to get their feedback to help us to improve our services.”

The CCG says it has invested in a number of schemes to support the mental health of children and young people over the last three years, including:

○ Additional mental health support teams in schools – with two new teams delivering services in January 2021, and two further teams currently in training.

○ Additional eating disorders funding and investment

○ Crisis pathways funding increased by £400,000 in 2020, with a plan to increase by a further £800,000 in 2021

○ Investment to the third sector (charities) to support children referred with milder mental health conditions

○ Additional £350,000 invested in services for children with autism and mental health conditions

○ £100,000 investment in a learning disabilities keyworker programme to support children with a mental health condition.

Coun Judith Blake, chairman of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said: “The pandemic has exacerbated existing mental health problems, particularly for children living in families with lower incomes and whose parents may be experiencing financial difficulties.

“Local councils have a vital role in helping children have mentally healthy childhoods and mental health needs to be at the heart of a holistic approach to overall health and wellbeing.

“Supporting children early on to reduce the need for clinical interventions means more can receive help when they need it, rather than waiting until they are unwell.

“It is vital that effective and evidence-based mental health and wellbeing services and statutory mental health services for children are able to meet existing, new and unmet demand that has built up during the pandemic.”