In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder. 20.3% of 8 to 16 year olds.

After a rise in prevalence between 2017 and 2020, rates of probable mental disorder remained stable in all age groups between 2022 and 2023.

Among 8 to 16 year olds, rates of probable mental disorder were similar for boys and girls

More than 1 in 4 children aged 8 to 16 years (26.8%) with a probable mental disorder had a parent who could not afford for their child to take part in activities outside school or college, compared with 1 in 10 (10.3%) of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

Children aged 11 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder were 5 times more likely than those unlikely to have a mental disorder to have been bullied in person (36.9% compared with 7.6%). They were also more likely to have been bullied online (10.8% compared with 2.6%).

Source: NHS Digital Report 2023