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Over a Million UK Children Seek Mental Health Support

Anxiety was the most common referral reason, and suspected autism cases rose almost 50% in a year, the report said.

  • On Monday, Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza released an annual report revealing 1,048,965 children had active mental health referrals in England, nearly double the 563,639 recorded in 2018–19.
  • Referrals for suspected ADHD and autism soared 47 per cent to 96,393, while anxiety referrals climbed 12 per cent to 169,389, NHS England data shows.
  • Children faced a weighted average wait of 128 days for treatment, with 60,041 individuals waiting over two years; the Commissioner described these delays as "common."
  • A government review cautioned that rising ADHD and autism diagnoses may reflect improved recognition and "medicalisation of distress" rather than increased prevalence.
  • Dame Rachel urged a fundamental shift, stating: "The way we look to support young people's mental health must change." She emphasized that improving children's wellbeing requires integrated action across government.
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manchester.ac.uk broke the news on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
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