NSPCC warns of child mental health "time bomb"
One in five children referred to child mental health services in England is being turned away, according to the NSPCC. And now the charity is warning that this could lead to serious mental health problems in the future.
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The NSPCC has said the number of child abuse cases in the UK is soaring. As a result, the organisation believes this is creating a "time bomb" of serious mental health conditions amongst young people.
Mental health services are turning away one in five children referred to them for treatment, including young people who have been abused and neglected, the charity said.
The NSPCC said the lack of support for such children could lead to serious long-term mental health problems, since youngsters are not getting the help they need, when they need it.
The NSPCC's chief executive, Peter Wanless, 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."
Figures from 35 mental health trusts across England show that a total of 186,453 cases were referred by GPs and other professionals, but 39,652 children did not receive help.
Children who had been abused and neglected were often denied treatment because their cases did not meet the "high clinical threshold" required by child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) the NSPCC said.
CAMHS will provide help with problems including violent behaviour, depression, eating difficulties, anxiety, obsessions, self-harming and the effects of abuse or traumatic events.
They can also treat serious mental health problems such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
However, there are children who don't have a diagnosable mental health problem, but who still need therapy and support to help them through their trauma.
Mr Wanless said:
"Not addressing their needs early on is just creating a time bomb of mental health problems. "
"There is a vacuum that needs to be filled and it needs to be a national and local priority.
Child and adolescent mental health services are just one part of the jigsaw and it's clear the current range of support available does not meet the needs of many abused and neglected children."
He added:
"Often children who are suffering with the consequences of what's been done to them won't necessarily meet a medical threshold but the emotional and psychological fallout of their abuse can snowball and get more severe in years to come."
A previous report by the NSPCC said their ChildLine service now receives one mental-health-related call every six minutes.
Sexual offences against children recorded by police in England and Wales rose by more than a third in 2013-14 and referrals to social services are also on the increase, said the charity.
