Hundreds of thousands of children are being left waiting for vital community care services, children’s health care professionals warn.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have published a new report confirming that the number of children requiring vital community health services has risen by 5% between February and March 2025, leaving more than 314,000 children on waiting lists.
The study reveals children’s waiting times for community care have increased by 11% between April 2024 and March 2025, in contrast to adult waiting list times, which decreased by 2% within the same period.
RCPCH Officer for Health Services, Dr Ronny Cheung, said: ‘Lengthy waits are unacceptable for any patient but for children and young people the waits can be catastrophic, as many treatments need to be given by a specific age or developmental stage.
‘Waits such as these can result in delayed starts to school, limitations on socialising, play sports, increased risk of poor mental health, behavioural problems and distress for both the child and their families.’
To ensure children’s community services are not neglected, the report recommends that Government implement a 18-week waiting time for children requiring care.
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