Children as young as six are overwhelming A&E in mental health crisis the NHS system is failing to treat

From the Newshound archive · first published 26 September 2026.

Six-year-olds are turning up in A&E in acute mental health distress as overstretched services buckle under surging demand, with specialists warning the system is failing the most vulnerable children at the point of crisis. NHS waiting lists for child mental health treatment have grown so long that families are resorting to emergency wards when nowhere else will help. Ministers are facing urgent calls to act before the situation deteriorates further.

A&E departments, built for physical emergencies, are now routinely managing child psychiatric crises they are not equipped to handle.

Ministers have been told that moving young adults into employment could ease pressure on services and help bring down mental health waiting lists.

Among those being failed are children as young as six, prompting warnings that early intervention has broken down entirely.