Why are more young children reaching A&E in a mental-health crisis?

New analysis from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health reports that 6,269 children aged 6–9 attended emergency departments in England with a recorded mental-health concern in 2025—62% more than in 2019. Across ages 6–17, 6,235 visits involved waits longer than 12 hours, including 338 lasting more than 72 hours.

Why it matters: an emergency department can keep a child physically safe, but it is rarely a calm or developmentally appropriate place to wait for psychiatric care. RCPCH argues that many families arrive there because timely community support is unavailable. The figures describe recorded attendances, not the prevalence of mental illness, and they do not by themselves explain what caused the increase.

Source (published September 2, 2026): https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/2026-09/sharp-rise-children-young-six-attending-ae-mental-health-crisis-rcpch

What practical support should families be able to reach before a child’s distress becomes an emergency? Please keep replies general and protect children’s privacy.