(UK) Scotland: "Explosion" in kids with ADHD/ASD; $200M spent on "mental health services" last year
Cash for Scotland’s child mental health service has more than doubled in a decade — but thousands are still waiting for treatment amid soaring demand.
Spending on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has increased by 118 per cent since 2014, with funding rising from £67million [$91M] in 2014-15 to £146.5million [$200M] last year. But despite the huge increase in government spending, a high number of children remain on waiting lists while referrals continue to rise.
The latest official figures show 4791 kids and young people on the CAMHS waiting list in March, with almost 10,000 referrals made in just three months, highlighting the continued pressure on services.
Now charities have warned the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate one per cent of frontline NHS spending to child and adolescent mental health services by the end of the previous parliamentary term is impossible to meet.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, which campaigns to improve services for vulnerable children, said: “The increase in CAMHS funding is welcome, but the reality is that demand continues to outstrip the support available. More must be done to ensure children receive support at the earliest possible stage, before they reach crisis point.
“The Scottish Government must match its commitments with sustained investment in CAMHS, early intervention and community-based services. Investment must keep pace with rising need, but funding specialist services alone will not be enough. . . .
The latest available figures show a total of 9807 young people were referred to CAMHS in the quarter ending March 2026 – up from 8895 in the same quarter the previous year. The number waiting for treatment also increased, rising by 2.5 per cent from 4674 at the end of March 2025 to 4791 at the end of March.
Scottish Autism CEO Dorry McLaughlin
This follows a Sunday Mail investigation that found over 28,000 children are on waiting lists for autism and ADHD ADHD with some waiting over four years with-out an appointment. It comes amid a national explosion in the number of children being diagnosed with ASN (Additional Support Needs), including autism and ADHD.
Desperate families told of the “emotional devastation” of waiting years for help for neurodivergent children.
Scottish Autism CEO, Dorry McLaughlin, said: “With CAMHS teams facing pressures across the country, we need to see alternative approaches developed which enable families to receive appropriate support and timely assessment.”
Mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said: “Thanks to our investment, waiting lists for CAMHS are at historic lows.
“More than 90 per cent of young people are being seen in 18-weeks. We will continue working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland has access to the right support.”
Comments