Child mental health services 'failing three-quarters of kids' in England

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Child mental health services 'failing three-quarters of kids' in England - The Guardian

The report provides evidence that, as a result of a rise in young people needing treatment for complex mental health conditions, assessments for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism are being delayed, while others are not being identified or treated. The presentation says that 35% of adults with anxiety or diagnosable depression are not in contact with mental health services, but this rises to 76% of those aged five to 15. It notes that only 6% of spending on mental health goes on services aimed at children and young people, even though 50% of lifetime mental illness starts by the age of 14.

The analysis – carried out over in the past three months – will raise concerns that a service that is already failing to meet the demands of many users is being cut further, and will support claims that young people are being hit by a double whammy: mental health is a "Cinderella service" compared with physical conditions; and within that service young people do not receive the same level of attention as adults.
 
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