THERE has been a 24 per cent increase in children attending hospital emergency departments as the result of a mental health crisis during the past year.
The finding is contained in a new report by the NI Commissioner for Children and Young People Koulla Yiasouma, which coincides with Children’s Mental Health Week.
It follows other research which shows that children's mental health has been more heavily impacted by the pandemic and restrictions than any other age group.
The report has prompted a joint call by Ms Yiasouma and Professor Siobhan O’Neill, mental health champion for Northern Ireland, for urgent action to improve services.
Data shows that between 2019/20 and 2020/21, referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services from A&E jumped from 765 to 949.
There has also been a sharp increase in the number of children waiting for an appointment with various mental health services.
Prof O’Neill said: “Before the pandemic children and young people in Northern Ireland were 25 per cent more likely to have mental health difficulties than their counterparts in other regions. Research shows that their mental health has been more heavily impacted by the pandemic and the restrictions than any other age group.
"Several studies have demonstrated increases in mental health symptoms in children and young people, and stress in parents, with the very highest levels of difficulties seen among children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs, and in low-income households.
"Service providers are also reporting an alarming increase in the numbers of children and young people who are seeking mental health interventions, and more young people presenting with very severe symptoms”.
She added: “Childhood is a period of rapid brain development; mental health interventions in this age group are time critical because they influence mental illness and other important outcomes across the lifespan. The improvements to mental health services for this group are therefore extremely urgent.”
Ms Yiasouma said: “During pre-pandemic times it was clear that the mental health system was unable to meet the scale and range of needs, and the increasing mental health need since the pandemic makes investment and reform in mental health services for children an even more urgent priority.”
The report is the children’s commissioner's third review of how government is progressing her 2018 ‘Still Waiting’ report which made recommendations to improve mental health supports and services.
She will present the findings to a joint education and health committee session at Stormont on Wednesday.
