England’s children and young people’s mental health services are seeing a sharp rise in demand, with active referrals surpassing one million for the first time in 2024-25, according to analysis of NHS data cited by the Children’s Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza. Multiple reports say referrals are driven largely by anxiety, alongside concerns involving conditions such as autism, and that the overall figure represents a substantial increase compared with previous years. The Independent reports that the number of active referrals is close to double the level in 2018-19, and also highlights that there is an increase year-on-year, including a 9.5% rise in the last year. Other coverage also states that referrals are up by roughly 10% compared with the previous year. Some outlets further report that around one in ten children now has a mental health diagnosis, linking the broader pressures to wider trends in diagnoses. The Children’s Commissioner calls for an overhaul of state support for young people’s mental health services in response to the reported growth in referrals.