North of England hit hardest by 'children's mental health crisis' as funding gaps widen

Children’s mental health in England has hit a crisis point, health experts warn, with the north of the country disproportionately affected compared to the south.

Health Equity North, on behalf of the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), found that one in five primary school children are now experiencing a probable mental health disorder. That is an average of six in every classroom.

Meanwhile, teenage mental health problems have doubled in the last 15 years.

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Despite mental health rises throughout the country, the report uncovered a consistently higher rate for children in the north of England.

The highest levels of school-based mental health referrals were found in the North East, with the area also found to have had the largest reductions in mental health funding.

Authors of the report and lead academics from the University of Manchester believe these issues develop from wider societal inequalities in poverty, housing, and a lack of access to community support.

Emma Lewell MP, co-chair of the Child of the North APPG, said: “Today’s mental health crisis among children and young people cannot be seen in isolation. It is closely linked to wider social and economic challenges, including rising school absence, exclusion, and increasing numbers of young people disengaging from education and employment.”

Around 40% of behavioural difficulties in children are linked to poverty and poor parental mental health, according to the report. There is a clear call from the report’s authors for early holistic intervention by the government to combat the rising issue.

“Improvement is not a pipe dream – there are already many examples of positive action across the north, with charities, community groups and education services providing support for young people. These models can be replicated across the country to support health and school services in tackling these urgent issues.” Lewell added.

Innovative methods are already being tried in northern communities to combat these challenges.

In Merseyside, there are parenting programmes which are strengthening family relationships and parenting confidence, while nature-based wellbeing is being offered to parents and young children in Hull.

The research also made it clear that early life mental health conditions can manifest into higher levels of youth disengagement and long-term economic inactivity.

Children with mental health difficulties are three times more likely to miss significant amounts of school, which impacts their educational outcomes and long-term life chances.

Young people’s mental health has been on the agenda of the current government as part of their 10-year health plan and, in May 2026, they announced that £473 million will be available over the next four years for mental health emergency departments and community-based mental health centres.

Currently, services are not being accessed at the rates that are needed, with around 385,000 children on waiting lists for mental health support, and one in four children referred for specialist support turned away.

Hannah Davies, executive director of Health Equity North, said: “Children’s mental health is not just a health issue – it is a social and economic issue that requires coordinated action across society.

“Improving outcomes will require sustained investment in tackling child poverty, strengthening family support, improving inclusion and belonging in schools, and rebuilding youth and community services. These are not ‘nice to have’ interventions – they are critical to preventing problems before they escalate.”

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