According to the most recent NHS data, the number of "open referrals" – troubled children and young people in England receiving treatment or waiting to begin care – reached 420,314 in February, the highest number since records began in 2016.
According to experts, Covid-19 has significantly exacerbated problems such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm among school-age children, and the "relentless and unsustainable" rise in their need for assistance may overwhelm already overburdened NHS services.
Mental health organisations commended the fact that a record number of young people are receiving psychological assistance. They are concerned that the figures are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the true number of people in need of assistance, and that many more under-18s in need are being denied assistance due to arbitrary eligibility criteria.
Information regarding Muslim World and Pakistan.
