1 in 7 children wait over year for mental health treatment

One in seven children and teenagers referred for mental health treatment are still waiting a year or more to access appropriate services, according to the Children’s Mental Health Coalition.

At the launch yesterday of a report entitled Meeting the mental health support needs of children and adolescents, the coalition said more resources were needed to boost the treatment options available to young people.

It highlighted the continuing shortfall within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which it said had been aided by delays in staff recruitment under three successive budgets from 2012 to 2014.