A new Children’s Society report warns that children and young people facing disadvantage are being disproportionately affected by barriers to mental health and wellbeing support, with services often focused on crisis intervention and strict clinical thresholds rather than early help. Key findings include:

The report identifies a “missing middle” of young people whose needs may be complex or less visible but do not meet thresholds for specialist services. Complex referral routes, reliance on schools and geographical differences can further restrict access.

Young people highlighted the importance of trusted relationships and consistent adults, while the report argues that rigid processes can require young people to adapt to services rather than services responding flexibly to their circumstances.

Evidence from the Children’s Society’s Space to Grow programme found improved wellbeing outcomes for 82% of participants who completed support, with the report highlighting community-based, accessible and sustained support as particularly effective for underserved groups

The Children’s Society is calling for open-access community support, longer-term funding for services, greater investment for moderate-to-high needs and better support for families navigating the system.