New report shares approaches taken to improve services for children and young people

NHS Providers has released a new report highlighting the impact increased demand and long waiting times can have on children and young people’s (CYP) health and wellbeing. The report comes on the back of the latest NHS performance figures which show demand for mental health services has more than doubled since the pandemic, with 562,840 CYP waiting for services in March 2025. In the community sector, a record 314,430 CYP are waiting for community health services, of which 22% have waited for over 52 weeks.

Through a series of case studies, the report shows how trusts are responding to challenges facing services and working in new and innovative ways to overcome them.

The report concludes “Given that childhood is a critical developmental period timely intervention is vital. Achieving this will require urgent prioritisation at a national level to allow trusts to scale up the work they are doing in this area.”

Chair of NHS Providers, Professor Sir Terence Stephenson said "For too long, children and young people have not been prioritised at a national level, with devastating long-term effects for individuals and their families, as well as to the NHS and the economy.

"The examples in this report show how committed trust leaders are to improving the outcomes and experiences of children and young people, but further national action is needed.

"We are calling on the government to prioritise children and young people in all national policy making, and particularly the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan and Comprehensive Spending Review – because children matter."

See the full report here.