Children and young people risk becoming a forgotten generation owing to crippling waits for NHS care, health leaders have warned.
A report from NHS Providers said 82% of trusts it surveyed are unable to meet the current demand for children and young people’s services.
NHS trusts provide a variety of help for children and young people at home, in the community and in hospitals, such as health visiting, speech and language therapy, audiology, neurodevelopmental services, mental health services and autism assessment.
The report found that rising demand and long waits for services are the biggest challenges for trusts, with more and more children needing help.
For example, 5.3 million children and young people were in contact with mental health services in 2023/24 – up 8.1% on 2022/23 and 25.7% on 2021/22.
In the report, which included 134 responses from leaders at 95 trusts, almost all (97%) said the current level of demand they were experiencing for children and young people’s services had increased compared with before the Covid pandemic.
One trust reported that waiting times for children’s autism assessments had risen from around 14 months pre-pandemic to 38 months now.
Of all those surveyed, 86% said overall waiting times to access an initial assessment had risen, while the main challenges facing trusts include increased complexity of patients and acuity (severity of the patient condition) and insufficient services being commissioned.
A shortage of staff was also highlighted as a barrier to providing safe and timely services for youngsters, while trusts said not being able to provide adequate care affected staff morale and contributed to health inequalities.
Nearly all respondents (90%) said the health and wellbeing of children is not considered enough in national policy.
The report pointed out that most long-term health conditions develop during childhood. For example, 75% of mental health problems occur before the age of 24.
“Intervening during this period is therefore critical to improving children and young people’s health outcomes both now, in the present, and into the future, ensuring a healthy and thriving society and population in the long term,” the study said.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “We’re in danger of seeing a forgotten generation of young people.
“Too many young lives are being blighted by delays to accessing vital NHS care.
“Long waits for services have far-reaching implications for a child’s social development, school readiness and educational attainment.
“Preventing ill health among children and young people is central to ensuring the next generation are able to live well, thrive and contribute to society and the economy.
“Our survey shows NHS leaders are committed to providing safe and timely care for children and young people but they need the right support.
“That means a cast-iron commitment from the new Government and NHS England that the physical and mental health of children and young people will be a priority, with the right amount and mix of NHS staff to give them the care they need.
“Trusts are ready to play their part in making things better for children and young people.
“It will require concerted, joined-up working between trusts, Government, NHS England and local partners including councils, schools and the voluntary sector.”
Those responding to the survey included chairs, chief executives, strategy directors, chief operating officers and directors of children’s services.
All regions and trust types – including acute, community, mental health and ambulance – were included.
Executive director of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) England, Patricia Marquis, said: “Despite the importance of early intervention in improving outcomes, there has been a steep fall in health visitor and school nurse numbers, meaning those that need assessments and care in the community are facing long waits.
“Children’s mental health and learning disability services are also in crisis with too few nursing staff to meet the demands of vulnerable children. The situation requires urgent intervention.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.