New data map highlights disparities in children’s mental health across the UK

A new data map produced by Centre for Mental Health in collaboration with Kooth has revealed stark disparities in children and young people’s mental health across the four UK nations and between local areas.

With around 200 children in an average secondary school in England having a current mental health difficulty, it is a clear call to action for national and local government policymakers to address the imbalance, protect children’s mental health, and take immediate action to ensure that every young person has equitable access to support they need to thrive and flourish. 

Titled ‘Mapping the Mental Health of the UK's Young People’ is the first of its kind to gather data from multiple sources including the NHS Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 survey, a range of national surveys from the devolved nations, and multiple indicator profiles from the Fingertips Public Health Profiles database.  

The data highlights that one in five children and young people aged 8-19 in England experiences a mental health difficulty. Rates get higher as children get older, from 157 in every 1,000 children aged 8-10 to 226 among young people aged 11-16 and 233 17-19-year-olds.

The map finds that Rotherham had the highest number of new referrals to children’s specialist mental health services (182 per 1,000 compared to a national average of 70). Herefordshire recorded the highest number of hospital admissions (309 per 100,000 compared to a national average of 81).

The map pinpoints areas with higher rates of children facing disadvantage linked to poor mental health – including those living in poverty, in care, or facing abuse and neglect. For instance, Leicester had the highest proportion of children living in poverty in England (at 35%), with Glasgow City at 33%, Blaenau Gwent at 28%, and Derry at 55%. Areas with high levels of child poverty are likely to have higher levels of mental ill health, so they need more funding to address the risks and provide support to those who are struggling.

It has been produced to ensure those responsible for commissioning or providing children and young people with mental health support have the clarity and information they need to support the children and young people they serve. This includes policymakers, local councils and health service providers alongside the education and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sectors. 

By mapping and transforming the latest data into a vibrant narrative, ‘Mapping the Mental Health of the UK's Young People’ helps to spotlight spatial distribution and differences in mental health in a way that is crucial for service planning and interventions.

The key findings across the four nations include:

• Levels of loneliness are reported to be comparatively high among children and young people in Scotland, with 139 in 1,000 11-18 year olds feeling lonely often or always, compared to 55 in 1,000 11-16 year olds in England. 

• Compared to figures for England, high proportions of children and young people in Wales report experiencing bullying, both online and in person. 

• Northern Ireland has higher rates of school absence compared to the other nations, with Belfast reporting the highest percentage at 15.2%. In Scotland, West Dunbartonshire saw the highest rate of school absence (11.6%) while in Wales, the highest rate of absence is found in Neath Port Talbot (9.26%) and in England, Bradford ranks highest (9.14%).

• In England, young people in their late teenage years report significantly greater prevalence of eating disorders compared to younger children. The figure jumps from 26 out of 1,000 11-16 year olds to 125 out of 1,000 17-19 year olds. No change was seen between age groups (11-15 years and 16-19 years) in Northern Ireland.

• For incidence of self-harm in England, the highest prevalence is seen among young people aged 17-24 years, at 368 out of 1,000 young people in that age range. Figures for 16-24 year olds in Scotland are similarly high, at 290 out of 1,000 young people. 

Andy Bell, chief executive at Centre for Mental Health, said: “About ten years ago, in an average size secondary school, approximately 100 children would have had a mental health difficulty. That rate has now doubled. Even more face major risks to their mental health, including poverty, abuse, racism, and discrimination.” 

National and local governments can take action now to turn this around. Evidence-based policies and interventions can help to prevent mental distress and provide earlier and better help when young people need it. This cannot wait. Without the right help, children with mental health difficulties face a poorer future with lifelong consequences. Better support, in mentally healthier communities and schools, can create a brighter future for all.”

Andy Bell, chief executive at Centre for Mental Health

Dr Lynne Green, Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth, explained: “The recent investigation into the NHS conducted by Professor Lord Darzi highlighted a staggering deterioration in the mental health of children and young people, along with long waits for care. It will come as no surprise to those supporting the mental health of children and young people across the UK that the need for support is growing rapidly. And as a result, demand for services vastly outstrips supply. 

“Young people’s chances of good or poor mental health are shaped by the places they live in and the support available to them. By understanding the levels of need, steps can be taken to prevent problems whenever possible, and provide support wherever and however it’s needed. 

“This is why, at Kooth, we have a razor-sharp focus on working in collaboration with our partners across the NHS, local authorities, educational institutions and the VCSE sector to deliver digitally-enabled support at the moment of need. The provision of clinically effective, cost efficient, universal access, with on-demand availability ensures that many more young people can get the support they need to tackle issues before they escalate. Our mission is to ensure no young person is left-behind when it comes to accessible mental health support.”