Children and Young People's Mental Health

In England today, approximately one in six (17.4%) children and young people aged 5 to 19 have a diagnosable mental health problem. Children and young people with mental health problems are more likely to have negative life experiences early on, which can damage their life chances into adulthood. Half of all mental health problems emerge before the age of 14, and there is clear evidence that early interventions can prevent problems escalating and can have major societal benefits. Many more children and young people will also benefit from support for mental health and wellbeing needs that would not reach the threshold to be a ‘diagnosable mental health’ problem.