Last reviewed 1 November 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
CAMHS waiting times: what to expect
Children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS) accept referrals from GPs, schools and other professionals, and sometimes families directly. England has no general CAMHS waiting time standard, except for eating disorders. Scotland’s standard is 90% starting treatment within 18 weeks. In a crisis, call NHS 111 (mental health option) or 999.
How do I get a CAMHS referral?
Talk to your child’s GP, school or college (many have mental health support teams), or a health visitor or school nurse. Some areas accept referrals directly from parents or young people. Each local service triages referrals by need, so urgent cases are seen first (NHS: Children and young people's mental health services).
What are the CAMHS waiting time standards?
| Where | Standard | Source |
|---|---|---|
| England: eating disorders | 95% of urgent referrals start treatment within 1 week, and 95% of routine referrals within 4 weeks | NHS England: Access and waiting time standard for children and young people with an eating disorder |
| England: other CAMHS | No national waiting time standard | – |
| Scotland | 90% of children and young people start treatment within 18 weeks of referral | Public Health Scotland: CAMHS waiting times |
| Wales and Northern Ireland | Set by each government; see their official statistics | Welsh Government: NHS activity and performance summary |
Waiting Times UK does not yet publish CAMHS waits by area. Public Health Scotland publishes quarterly CAMHS waits by health board (Public Health Scotland: CAMHS waiting times).
What can we do while waiting for CAMHS?
Ask the service what support is available while you wait and who to contact if things change. Tell the GP or CAMHS team if your child’s needs get worse, because this may change how urgently they are seen. Schools may be able to offer support through their mental health support team or pastoral staff.
Where can we get urgent help?
If a child or young person is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent help that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option (NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health).
Is ADHD or autism assessment part of CAMHS?
It depends on the area: some assessments are done by CAMHS and others by community paediatrics. See ADHD waiting times and autism assessment waiting times. Adults can see NHS Talking Therapies waits.
Not medical advice. If your symptoms change or get worse while you wait, contact your GP or the team treating you. If it is not an emergency, NHS 111 online or calling 111 can tell you where to go, including urgent treatment centres, which often have shorter waits. Call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening emergencies such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding or signs of a stroke.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait for CAMHS?
It varies a lot by area and by how urgent the referral is. England does not publish a national waiting time standard for general CAMHS. Ask your local service what its current waits are.
Can parents refer to CAMHS directly?
In some areas, yes. In others the referral must come from a GP, school or other professional. Check your local service’s website.
What is the eating disorder waiting time standard?
In England, 95% of children and young people with an eating disorder should start treatment within 1 week if urgent and within 4 weeks if routine.
What if my child’s mental health gets worse while waiting?
Contact the CAMHS team or GP. In an emergency call 999 or go to A&E; for urgent help call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option.
What else might help?
- Where am I on the NHS waiting list?: How to check your waiting list, who to contact and what the NHS App shows.
- How long does an NHS referral take?: The 18-week clock, what happens after a GP referral, and waits by specialty.
- Urgent and fast-track scan waiting times: Urgent and routine scans, the 28-day cancer standard, and getting results.
- Your rights on NHS waiting times: 18 weeks, choosing your hospital, PALS and the rules in each UK nation.
- Private or NHS scan: what you need to know: NHS scan waits, how private scans work and moving back to NHS care.
- Compare NHS trusts on waiting lists, scans, cancer and A&E
Who wrote this page and where do the figures come from?
Written and maintained by the Waiting Times UK editorial team at Oaknest Media Ltd, an independent publisher that is not part of the NHS. Every figure is taken from an official publication, shown with its date, and linked below; where we add up or compare figures ourselves we say so. This page has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not medical advice. Text last checked by the editorial team on 1 November 2026; page last updated 1 November 2026.
- NHS: Children and young people's mental health services
- NHS England: Access and waiting time standard for children and young people with an eating disorder
- Public Health Scotland: CAMHS waiting times
- NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
- Welsh Government: NHS activity and performance summary
Official statistics are reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See data sources and methods and about Waiting Times UK.
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