New research by the Children’s Commissioner, Rachel de Souza, shows that around 400,000 children in England at the end of 2022-23 were waiting to receive their first appointment after being referred to community health services and children’s mental health services. This is equivalent to around 3 per cent of England’s total child population.
The report, based on unpublished data on neurodevelopmental condition diagnoses from NHS England, argues that the delays mean children with suspected conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, cerebral palsy and a range of mobility and speech and language communication difficulties, are missing crucial developmental milestones, widening the gap in opportunity and attainment between children with neurodevelopmental conditions and their peers.
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