Children needing anxiety treatment up by a third as experts warn of “epidemic”
Date: 13th February
A children’s mental health expert has warned of an anxiety “epidemic” among young people in the UK as new data shows those needing treatment and support for the condition rose by a third last year.
Requests for children’s anxiety treatment at Priory, the UK's largest independent provider of mental health and adult social care services, were up by 34% in 2024.
The data adds weight to growing concerns about children’s mental health and follows statistics released by the Children’s Commissioner for England which show there were 204,526 new referrals for patients aged 17 or under in 2023-24 where the primary cause was anxiety – more than double the pre-pandemic rate.
“These new statistics are reflective of what I have been seeing every day in the patients I support. There is no doubt we are facing an anxiety epidemic among our children and young people,” explained Dr Hayley van Zwanenberg, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Priory, based at Priory Wellbeing Centre Oxford.
Dr van Zwanenberg said: “Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry or general unease that we all get from time to time. For children this may be their first day at school and for adults it can be when we go for a job interview for example, but for some these feelings persist, or are so extreme that they significantly affect normal life to the point of becoming anxiety disorder.
“There was a significant rise in anxiety disorder in the immediate post-Covid period, caused by high levels of social anxiety as young people struggled to get back outside the home and into school. That issue still exists for many, while we’re also now seeing a great deal of anxiety disorders as a result of undiagnosed neurodiversity, as children struggle to cope with school and homework pressures.”
Dr van Zwanenberg advised parents and to look out for the signs of anxiety so they are able to support young people early, and help them to understand their emotions.
She said: “Anxiety disorders most typically start from around 11 years of age. Helping our young people to develop the skills to manage their emotions during different situations is a crucial part of supporting them to grow up in the modern world, and manage the challenges they will face.
“Anxiety disorders are treatable so it is essential people are able to recognise the symptoms and seek the right support. This is true regardless of your age, although it is particularly important for children and young people as earlier intervention will help to ensure long-term stability.”
Last year, Priory launched a free emotional wellbeing programme for children which has so far been accessed by more than 2,000 teachers, parents and young people.
The online resources are designed to help children at the end of primary school and early secondary age to understand and manage their emotions (including frustration and anger), develop self-calming techniques for stress and provide guidance on how to adapt to different situations.
To access the resource visit www.priorygroup.com/priory-emotional-wellbeing-programme-for-children
Priory’s YouTube channel also contains free guidance and self-help videos to support people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, including a guided meditation for anxiety resource.
ENDS
Contact: [email protected]
About Priory and MEDIAN Group
Priory is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health and adult social care services. Priory treats more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across its nationwide network of sites. Priory also supports autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.
Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, the leading European provider of high-quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises: Priory in the UK with 280 facilities and 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people, MEDIAN in Germany with 120 facilities and 18,000 beds caring for 256,000 patients, and Hestia in Spain with 14 facilities and 2,000 beds caring for 10,000 people in Spain, with more than 30,000 employees across the group.