by Duncan Williams, Christian Today
More than a million children and young people in England were referred to NHS mental health services last year, with anxiety remaining the leading reason for referral and suspected autism showing the fastest rate of increase.
The latest analysis of NHS England data by the Children’s Commissioner for England paints a sobering picture. During the 12 months to March 2025, more than one in every 10 children had an active referral to Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS), almost double the number recorded six years earlier.
In her annual report, Dame Rachel de Souza said she was “in no doubt that we are facing a crisis” in young people’s mental health.
She added: “These are not just numbers, but children whose lives have been put on hold for months and, in some cases, years waiting for support they urgently need.”The report reveals that more than one in three children referred for help are still waiting for treatment, while more than 60,000 have been waiting for over two years. Anxiety accounts for 16 per cent of all referrals, while suspected autism referrals have risen by 47 per cent in just a year. Other neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome, have also increased sharply.
The figures rightly raise urgent questions about funding, waiting times and the capacity of NHS services. Yet they also invite a broader conversation about the emotional and spiritual landscape in which today’s young people are growing up.
Children are navigating a world unlike any previous generation has known. Social media, online comparison, academic pressure, fractured family life, economic uncertainty and a relentless digital culture have become part of everyday experience. Greater awareness of mental health has undoubtedly encouraged more young people to seek help, which is to be welcomed. Even so, the scale of the increase suggests something deeper is taking place.