The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has raised concerns that 145 children and young people have been waiting more than a year for mental health treatment.
These figures were highlighted in the latest waiting time statistics from Public Health Scotland published yesterday (4th March), indicating that 145 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in the quarter ending December 2024.1
This is an increase from 115 in the previous quarter ending September 2024.
In addition, 4,362 children and young people were waiting to start treatment at quarter ending December 2024, which is an increase of 3.1 per cent (131) compared to 4,231 in the previous quarter
On a more positive note, 90.6 per cent of children and young people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral. The Scottish Government target, dating from December 2014, states that 90 per cent of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS. This has been achieved for the first time.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of poor mental health in children and young people were at unprecedented levels, with under-resourced services struggling to keep pace with growing demand, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable individuals unable to access support
However, it should be noted that despite this greatly increased demand, only 0.82 per cent of the total frontline NHS budget was spent on CAMHS in the 2023/24 financial year, amounting to £134.188 million (real terms). This equates to just 82p in every £100 of the NHS budget.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “The latest figures highlighting that 145 children and young people have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment is extremely alarming.
“We are facing a mental health emergency, and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels as they battle with the long shadow of lockdown and the rising cost of living.
“This is also having a major effect on classroom behaviour, impacting the young people concerned, their fellow pupils and staff.
“Each one of these statistics is an individual, and we would urge the Scottish Government ensure the adequate resourcing of mental health services for our children and young people so that they can get the care and support they need, without lengthy waits.”
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