More young people in England are reaching “crisis point” and being admitted to hospital for their mental health, a report has said.
There are “significant” geographical disparities in the range of services available to young people, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) added.
A paper from the think tank, funded by charity the Prudence Trust, found that the range of services available does not appear to be related to the number of young people in an area.
It said NHS England data shows the number of young people aged 11 to 25 admitted to hospital for mental health reasons rose by a fifth to around 150,000 between 2017 and 2023.
Admission episodes rose by around a third during the same period, which suggests more young people are “reaching a crisis point and experiencing multiple admissions”, according to the report.
The study investigated the availability of non-specialist mental health services – those delivered outside NHS community mental health settings and inpatient settings – for young people.
These include drop-in services, wellbeing cafes, peer support and youth groups, and services provided through schools.
Researchers found significant geographical variation in the range of non-specialist services available to young people as well as in levels of awareness around the services that exist.
In some of the most deprived areas of the country, including in the North and around Birmingham, health commissioners and local authorities could not provide the think tank with information on these services.
Vulnerable young people, including those who identify as LGBT+ and those from ethnic minority groups, are particularly underserved when it comes to targeted services, according to the report.
The think tank has called for the rollout of Young Futures Hubs, a key pillar of the Government’s programme to support young people’s mental health, to address gaps in support.
The Government should commission research exploring the availability of non-specialist services for young people’s mental health – including early intervention – and the extent to which these are meeting needs, the report said.
Whitney Crenna-Jennings, associate director for mental health, wellbeing and inclusion at EPI, said: “Our data shows significant geographical disparities in the range of available services, particularly for underserved groups.
“It is concerning that in many areas, commissioners and providers of services do not appear to be fully aware of what services exist.
“This patchy landscape and governance, combined with increasing numbers of young people reaching a crisis point, underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of services delivered outside of specialist settings and their effectiveness in meeting young people’s diverse needs.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the findings about young people being admitted to hospital for their mental health were “shocking”.
He said: “This mirrors concerns raised by school leaders who report that pupils often face great difficulty in accessing NHS mental health support services, resulting in their condition deteriorating into a medical emergency.
“Seven years ago the previous government published plans which were supposed to improve matters, but instead the situation appears to have worsened.
“The new Government must ensure that those in need can access support promptly, no matter where they live.
“As a matter of urgency, it must deliver on its manifesto commitment to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “This postcode lottery for mental health provision for young people is worrying.
“We know that across the board CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) are struggling with the increase in demand and unable to meet need, leaving too many in crisis.
“Schools do not have the resources or staff to continue carrying the weight of a broken system. They should not be expected to pick up the pieces of a breakdown in mental health support any longer.”
A Government spokesperson said: “Under the broken NHS that we have inherited young people are not getting the support that they need.
“We will ensure there is access to a specialist mental health professional in every school, will recruit 8,500 more mental health workers across children’s and adult services and will also roll out the new Young Futures programme to boost opportunities for our young people.”