Recent statistics indicate that approximately 5,350 children in the former NHS Somerset CCG area were in contact with mental health services in the year ending September.

This data comes amidst a national increase in children accessing mental health services in England, with the number of open referrals almost doubling since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

YoungMinds, a mental health charity, has voiced concern over the Government's response to the escalating issue. Laura Bunt, Chief Executive at YoungMinds, stated, "Instead of action, young people get broken promises in the form of scrapped plans and missed opportunities. We need the Government to turn the tide on this emergency – it must commit to reducing prevalence and tackle the reasons why so many young people are struggling with their mental health." She called for an ambitious plan focusing on prevention, investment, and service improvement.

Nationally, around 710,000 children accessed mental health support, marking the highest figure since records began in March 2021. The pandemic has significantly impacted the number of children with open referrals, with 465,000 children waiting for a mental health appointment after a referral at the end of September, a steep rise from 250,000 at the end of September 2019. Somerset has mirrored this trend, with the number of children with open referrals increasing from about 1,110 in September 2019 to 4,795 this year.

Additional NHS Digital figures highlight that children in England aged between 11 and 16 with a probable mental disorder were five times more likely to have been bullied in person and four times more likely to be bullied online than those unlikely to have a mental disorder in 2023. Furthermore, over one in four children with a probable mental disorder had a parent who couldn't afford activities outside school, compared to just over one in 10 of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

Claire Murdoch, NHS mental health director, commented, "NHS staff are working harder than ever to meet the increased demand and we have fast-tracked mental health support for millions of pupils in schools and colleges, as well as significantly expanding the children's mental health workforce."

The Department for Health and Social Care has committed to investing an additional £2.3 billion a year in mental health services, enabling an extra 345,000 children and young people to access support. A spokesperson mentioned the rollout of mental health support teams in schools and colleges and the Government's focus on expanding the mental health workforce. As of March, there were 143,000 full-time equivalent NHS staff working in mental health services, an increase from 136,000 in September 2022.