Time to act: hundreds of children sent out of area every day for mental health treatment
Royal College of Psychiatrists' analysis of the latest NHS England data shows a shocking 319 children and adolescents in England were forced to travel out of their area for mental health treatment from December 2023 to November 2024. This represents nearly one child every day.
These children and young people (under 18s) spent a total of 35,845 days away from their local area, also known as inappropriate Out of Area Placement (OAP)2 bed days, as a result of beds being unavailable in their local area.
To mark Children’s Mental Health Week, the Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling on the UK Government to set a target date to end OAPs in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) across England.
Extremely vulnerable children and young people with serious mental illnesses, such as eating disorders, self-harm and psychosis, are being treated miles away from their loved ones and support networks, as a result of inappropriate OAPs. With family and friends having to travel so far, visiting often becomes impossible, which only leaves unwell children feeling more isolated, lonely and can be harmful to their recovery.
With so few specialist CAMHS beds available and services overstretched, many children are being treated in paediatric wards, without access to specialist mental health services during their stay, or even after discharge. These environments can feel overwhelming, particularly for those with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
In addition to setting a target to end the use of OAPs for children, RCPsych is calling for increased availability of NHS CAMHS beds in areas where there is the greatest need. This can be achieved through the intelligent commissioning of beds in areas with persistently high occupancy rates, using models like provider collaboratives.
Rachel Bannister’s 15-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2014. She was sent to several hospitals far from the family home in Nottingham, including one in Scotland, hundreds of miles away. She was there for six months, including over Christmas.
Rachel said: “The whole family were devastated when she went away. I felt as if my heart had been ripped out and I had failed her. We are all still processing the trauma of it all many years later.
“During her time away, our telephone conversations revealed her longing for simple gestures such as a hug or a walk in the park. It was heart-wrenching for us to be unable to fulfil those basic needs.
“The lack of consistency in her care and treatment have hugely impacted her recovery. Additionally, it has been difficult and often impossible to involve wider family members or her social network in treatment, which I believe is fundamental to recovery."
Source: Royal College of Psychiatrists, 8 February 2025