Cost of Lockdown: Record Number of Children Seek Severe Mental Health Treatment in Britain

The lockdown restrictions imposed in response to the Chinese coronavirus have seen a record number of children being referred to specialists for the most extreme mental health problems in Britain.

According to figures compiled by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, a record 409,347 children under the age of 18 were referred to specialist NHS care between April and October of last year for displaying issues surrounding self-harm or eating disorders.

The record-setting numbers represent a dramatic increase from pre-pandemic levels, with the number of children seeking specialist care for severe mental health issues rising by 77 per cent over the same recording period in 2019, the BBC reported.

As of the end of October, there were 349,449 children in contact with psychiatric teams for children at the National Health Service, also a record high.

While only those facing the most extreme forms of mental health maladies are referred to NHS specialists, teachers have reported an increase in students with mental health issues across the board. – READ MORE