The state of CAMHS waiting lists in England is, by any measure, a crisis. Young people are routinely waiting six months, a year, or longer to access community mental health support — and those are the young people who make it onto a list. Many are triaged out of the system entirely, left with nothing more than a signposting leaflet.
In that gap — between a young person reaching out for help and receiving it — mental health deteriorates. Crises escalate. Families reach breaking point. And the cost, both human and financial, grows.
So what can be done? This guide looks at the alternatives to CAMHS for young people who are waiting, what professionals can access on their behalf, and how to prevent deterioration in the interim.
Why is CAMHS waiting so long?
Demand for CAMHS services has risen sharply over the past decade, accelerated significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the workforce has not kept pace. Child and adolescent mental health is a specialty with significant recruitment and retention challenges — and investment in community services has not matched the scale of need.
The result is a two-tier system. Young people with the most acute needs — those who reach crisis point — access inpatient or crisis services. Everyone else waits. And waiting, for a young person whose mental health is deteriorating, is not a neutral experience. It is actively harmful.
What can young people and families do while waiting?
While waiting for CAMHS, there are a number of steps families can take to support a young person’s mental health and reduce the risk of crisis:
- Stay in contact with the GP — GPs can prescribe, refer onward, and provide sick notes for school if needed. They are also the right point of contact if a young person’s condition deteriorates and urgent reassessment is needed.
- Access school-based support — many schools have mental health leads, pastoral teams, or access to an educational psychologist. A young person’s SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) can be a valuable ally.
- Explore voluntary sector provision — organisations like Young Minds, Kooth, and local Mind branches offer online and in-person support that does not require a CAMHS referral.
- Consider private assessment — for families who can afford it, a private CAMHS assessment can provide a diagnosis and recommendations that inform NHS care, even if ongoing treatment is not private.
- Use crisis lines — Papyrus, Samaritans, and local crisis text lines are available for young people who are struggling in the moment.
What can professionals do while a young person waits?
For social workers, GPs, and other professionals supporting a young person on a CAMHS waiting list, the most important thing is to actively monitor rather than assume the system is working. Regular welfare checks, school liaison, and honest conversations with families about what to do if things deteriorate are all part of good practice.
Professionals should also know that CAMHS waiting lists have escalation pathways. If a young person’s condition deteriorates significantly while they are waiting, a re-referral or urgent review request can result in a faster response. Document concerns carefully and do not hesitate to escalate.
When does a young person need specialist crisis support?
There is a point at which a young person’s needs exceed what can be provided by schools, GPs, and voluntary sector services — and where waiting for CAMHS is no longer safe. Signs that a young person may need more urgent, specialist support include:
- Frequent or escalating self-harm
- Suicidal ideation with intent or plan
- Significant deterioration in functioning — unable to attend school, leave home, or maintain basic self-care
- Acute psychosis or severe dissociation
- Behaviour that is putting themselves or others at risk
In these circumstances, a referral to a specialist crisis service — separate from and in addition to the CAMHS referral — should be considered.
What can specialist crisis services offer that CAMHS cannot?
Specialist crisis services like Young Crisis Hub are not a replacement for CAMHS. They serve a different function: providing intensive, bespoke support at the point of acute need. Where CAMHS offers assessment and ongoing therapeutic treatment within a clinic or community setting, crisis services offer immediate, high-intensity intervention in the community or residential setting — preventing escalation to hospital admission and supporting young people through the most dangerous periods.
For many young people, crisis support bridges the gap between a CAMHS referral and treatment beginning — ensuring they arrive at their first CAMHS appointment in a more stable state, with a clearer understanding of their needs and a stronger foundation for therapeutic work.
What needs to change?
The long-term answer to the CAMHS crisis is investment: in the workforce, in community services, in early intervention, and in preventative approaches that reduce the number of young people who reach crisis point. None of that will happen quickly enough for the young people who are struggling right now.
In the meantime, the best thing professionals, families, and commissioners can do is to know what is available, use it actively, and refuse to accept that nothing can be done while a young person waits.
If you are a professional concerned about a young person who cannot wait for CAMHS, contact Young Crisis Hub to discuss whether our services might help.
