Children as young as three sent by schools for counselling

PRIMARY schools are facing a mental health crisis, with figures showing the number of children needing counselling rising by a third.

Teachers have referred children as young as three to professionals as the number of under-11s requiring psychological help rose to almost 19,000 in the past year, from less than 14,000 three years earlier.

Statistics released after freedom of information requests to NHS trusts show that the number of referrals to mental health services by all schools rose from 25,140 in 2014-15 to 34,757 in 2017-18.

More than half involved primary schoolchildren, suggesting there was insufficient help for the youngest.

The NSPCC, which carried out the survey of 53 NHS trusts, said the increased demand was putting specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) under real pressure.

Over the past three years nearly a third of the referrals were declined because they did not meet the criteria for support.

It follows a report last week from select committees on education, and health and social care, which found the Government plans to spend £300million on improving mental health provision for children lacked ambition and “will provide no help to the majority of children who desperately need it”.

Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: “Our research shows schools are increasingly referring children for specialist mental health treatment, often when the child is at crisis point.

“Childline plays a vital role in supporting children… and early counselling from Childline could help relieve the pressure on CAMHS.”

Dame Esther Rantzen, founder and president of Childline, said: “Young people are telling us they are overwhelmed with mental health issues, such depression and anxiety, which is taking many of them to the brink of suicide.”

A Government spokesman said: “Making sure children and young people get the right support when they need it is imperative. That is why we are allocating £300million, over and above the additional £1.4billion being invested in specialist services, to provide more support linked to schools.

“This includes new mental health support teams to work closely with schools – including primary schools.

“We know we need to do more, which is why we have extended our schools and NHS link pilot to deliver training in 20 more areas this year. This will improve links between 1,200 schools and their local specialist mental health services.”