Children face mental health support delays

A report says more children have sought help with their mental health since the Covid pandemic

Children and young people in Lincolnshire are waiting too long to receive support from mental health services, a report has said.

A report, being put before a county council meeting this week, says there has been an increase in referrals to services since the Covid pandemic.

Anxiety and stress, low mood and behavioural problems account for 90% of referrals to early intervention services, according to the report.

The report is part of a long-term review of Lincolnshire's mental health services to plan for the changing demands related to the welfare of young people.

The Covid pandemic disproportionately impacted the mental well-being of young people, with waiting lists growing at a much faster rate than those for adults, according to the report.

Nationally, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) saw an 81% increase in referrals between 2019 and 2021 compared with an 11% rise in referrals to adult mental health services.

Healthy Minds Lincolnshire, an early intervention service which works in schools, saw its caseload increase by 107% between December 2021 and March 2023.

The report states waiting times are coming down, as referrals fell slightly from their peak following the pandemic.

The latest figures for Lincolnshire CAMHS showed the average waiting time from assessment to treatment was six weeks.

The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Transformation Programme is a review of the current mental health services for Lincolnshire and aims to plan and resource the facilities for the future.

The programme has gathered views from people who have used the system to inform how services can be improved.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]