Nearly 75,500 children attended hospital emergency departments with a mental health concern in 2025, with the steepest rise among children aged six to nine.
New figures posted by the BMJ show that 75,491 children attended a hospital emergency department (A&E) with a recorded mental health concern in 2025 — a 36% increase compared with 2019. The data point to a sustained and measurable rise in children arriving at A&E in mental health crisis, with the sharpest growth seen in the youngest age group tracked: children between six and nine years old.
That rise among primary school-age children is a striking detail in the data. Six to nine year olds are not typically the group most associated with acute mental health presentations, yet the BMJ figures suggest this cohort has seen the fastest growth in A&E attendances for mental health reasons over the six-year period.
The figures cover England and were shared by the BMJ’s news feed. They do not break down attendances by region, so it is not possible from this data alone to say how many of those 75,491 visits took place at Kent hospitals such as the William Harvey in Ashford, the QEQM in Margate, or Darent Valley in Dartford — all of which serve large child populations.
Parents or carers worried about a child’s mental health should contact their GP in the first instance, or call NHS 111 for urgent advice. In a mental health emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.
Key information
- Samaritans: 116 123, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- NHS 111: for urgent mental health concerns that are not an emergency
- Emergency: call 999 or attend A&E if a child is in immediate danger
Source: @bmj_latest
Children's Mental Health A&E Visits Up 36% Since 2019, BMJ Data Show Quiz
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