There has been a sharp rise in children and young people – some as young as six – attending A&E units in England in a mental health crisis, NHS doctors are warning.

The number of six to 17-year-olds turning up in significant distress for things like self-harm and eating disorders, or in emotional crisis, rose by 36% between 2019 and 2025, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health analysis.