Patterns and Factors Associated With Contacting a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Crisis Service

Background In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of children and young people (CYP) experiencing mental health crises. Objective This study aimed to explore the demographic and clinical characteristics of CYP who engaged with a mental health crisis service in Northwest England. Method A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data collected from CYP accessing the crisis service between January 2022 and December 2023. Results A total of 1,940 individuals were identified as having contact with the crisis team. Approximately 75% were female, and nearly half lived in the two most deprived socioeconomic quintiles. The majority were aged between 13 and 15 years. The number of contacts per individual ranged from 1 to 186, totaling 7,711 contacts overall. The primary reasons for contact included self-harm (50%) and suicidality (30%). Notably, 29% were not in education, and 28% were also receiving therapy from CYP mental health services. Contact rates peaked during weekdays and during May, September, October, and November. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for multi-agency preventative interventions, particularly targeting females and those from deprived communities, with attention to times of high service demand.