One-fifth of all children referred to local NHS mental health services are rejected for treatment, according to the NSPCC.
The children’s charity obtained the figures from 35 mental health trusts in England. They showed that, of 186,453 cases referred by GPs and other professionals, 39,652 children did not receive help.
One in six children referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) who had problems associated with abuse or neglect was rejected for treatment, according to information provided by six mental health trusts, the NSPCC said.
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: ’If children don’t receive the right kind of help and support following a disclosure, the damage can last a lifetime and include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or suicidal thoughts in adulthood.’
Pulse reported in January that NHS spending on child and adolescent mental health services had fallen by 6% in real terms since 2009/10, according to NHS England figures, which also showed that almost £50m less was spent on CAMHS in 2012/13 than in 2009/10.
