Exclusive: Mental health referrals for children in Greater Manchester nearly double since pandemic
An investigation by Hits & Greatest Hits Radio Manchester reveal over 66,000 children were referred to CAMHS in the last financial year
The number of children needing mental health support in Greater Manchester has almost doubled since the pandemic.
Figures obtained by Hits & Greatest Hits Radio Manchester reveal over 66,000 young people (aged between 0-17) were referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the last financial year, compared to around 34,000 from April 2020/2021.
A girl, who started self-harming when she was 15-years-old, has shared her story with us.
She waited eight months for help: "The nurse that would come and check on me each week, she discovered it, and she made the referral for me to go to CAMHS.
"They told me that I could be waiting up to a year to two years, and then we gone in about 8 months later and got a referral.
"We had a first initial appointment; it was like an assessment and then after that I think we waited like 4 weeks then for continuous appointments."
The girl, who is wanting to stay anonymous, said the support she received was insufficient: "The person that we got in CAMHS, that spoke to me and tried to help me through things I was going through, she just didn't have an idea of how to speak and talk to a 15-year-old girl.
"I think they just looked at me like a 15-year-old girl and give me the tools and the strategies that they'd give to other people and then expected me to just kind of go on my way.
"I was spoken to like I was five.
"Each appointment that I went in, I was given a new sheet of paper to tick off and fill in. I either didn't want to tick things because I didn't want to be there anymore, or I was ticking things for the sake of hoping that they'd keep me a little bit longer and give me a bit more help.
"I just don't really feel that we ever got to a point where I received help."
Professor Manisha Kumar, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Greater Manchester, addressed these concerns in a statement.
“We know many children and families are really struggling, and it’s deeply concerning when young people feel they aren’t getting the help they need. Referrals have risen sharply since the pandemic, especially here in Greater Manchester.
"Our specialist CAMHS teams support those with the most complex needs, while many other children are directed to school‑based, community or online services that can help them sooner.
"We recognise waiting times are too long, and we’re investing in earlier, more personalised help so young people feel genuinely heard and supported."
Referral figures
In the financial year 2020/21, 34,635 children were referred to CAMHS.
This number increased to 48,109 in 2021/22, 61,882 in 2022/23, and reached 65,801 in 2023/24.
In 2024/25, the number of referrals peaked at 66,895.
The figures for accepted referrals that received at least one contact are also notable.
In 2020/21, 21,061 referrals were accepted, followed by 25,477 in 2021/22.
In 2022/23, 36,088 referrals were accepted, rising to 40,664 in 2023/24.
For 2024/25, the number slightly decreased to 39,794.