A new study highlights significant delays in accessing mental health support for children and young people, leaving many struggling to receive the help they need or even to have their emotional difficulties recognized.
The STADIA trial, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, was conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine, with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The comprehensive study followed 1,225 children and young people across England who had been referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for emotional difficulties.
The findings reveal that the majority of these children and young people had significant mental health needs, with 67% scoring very high for at least one emotional disorder, commonly depression or anxiety. However, despite these severe symptoms, only 11% were diagnosed with an emotional disorder by CAMHS. Additionally, only 44% of the referrals were accepted by the service, and 35% required a re-referral, indicating a concerning delay in receiving timely support.
A year after their initial referral, many participants showed little improvement. Their mental health symptoms, including self-reported distress and functional impairment, remained severe, with some continuing to experience self-harm thoughts and behaviors. Even after 18 months, fewer than half (47%) had received any treatment or intervention from CAMHS.
Professor Kapil Sayal, Chief Investigator of the STADIA trial, expressed concern over the prolonged delays in accessing care. “Many children and young people, particularly those with conditions like depression and anxiety, are struggling to access appropriate help,” he said. “One year is a long time in a child’s life. Delays in receiving care only prolong their difficulties and distress, which can have a lasting impact on their day-to-day lives.”
The study also revealed that the use of an online, standardized diagnostic assessment tool by young people and their parents, soon after their referral, had no effect on receiving a clinical diagnosis from CAMHS. Despite this, digital approaches to diagnostic assessment were found to be highly acceptable to families, suggesting a potential pathway for improving access to support—if sufficient resources are allocated to CAMHS for proper implementation.
These findings underscore the pressing need for faster, more efficient mental health care for young people to address the growing emotional and psychological challenges faced by this vulnerable group.
You Might Be Interested In:
-
Study Reveals Depression Trends in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
-
Sleep Deprivation Impairs Brain’s Ability to Suppress Unwanted Memories
-
Early Bilateral Oophorectomy Tied to Elevated Alzheimer’s Disease Risk in Women
