Rise in youths admitted to adult mental health clinics

An increasing number of children are being admitted to adult mental health units even though this should only happen in exceptional circumstances, it has emerged.

The Mental Health Commission found that in the first five months of this year, there were 44 child admissions to adult units compared with 36 for the same period in 2016.

“The increase in 2017 so far shows that on this issue we are going backwards,” said commission chairman John Saunders.