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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports the following main findings from its most recent national survey. In 2004, one in ten children and young people (10 per cent) aged 5-16 years had a clinically diagnosed mental disorder:

• Four per cent had an emotional disorder (anxiety or depression)
• Six per cent had a 'conduct disorder', a complex group of behavioural and emotional problems characterised by difficulties behaving in socially acceptable ways normally expected of their peer group. Conduct disorders are often associated with 'oppositional defiant disorder', which is seen as a precursor to more difficult behaviours in adolescence.
• Two per cent had a hyperkinetic disorder (such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• One per cent had a less common disorder, such as autism, eating disorders or mutism
• About two per cent were found to have more than one type of disorder.
• The survey found few changes from the ONS's previous survey, in 1999.

The research also showed boys were more likely than girls to have a mental health disorder with prevalence increasing as they reach adolescence. Disorders affect 10.4% of boys aged 5-10, rising to 12.8% of boys aged 11-15, and 5.9% of girls aged 5-10, rising to 9.65% of girls aged 11-15 (ONS, 2004).
Mental health problems in children are associated with educational failure, family disruption, disability, offending and antisocial behaviours, and placing demands on social services, schools and the youth justice system.

Source: Children and Young People's Plan Needs Analysis: As of 26th February 2010

• As of February 2010, an estimated 9.5% of all children and young people in Newcastle had at least one mental health disorder.
• Newcastle ranked 77 out of 152 Local Authorities for National Indicator 50: Emotional health and wellbeing in the TellUs Survey 2009. National Indicator 50 is measured by the percentage of pupils with good relationships with friends and family. Newcastle scored 56.1% against the national average of 56%.
• People with current mental health problems are 20 times more likely than others to report having harmed themselves in the past. (National Collaborating Centre For Mental Health).
• Of 545 young people engaged by Newcastle homeless charity DePaul UK in 2009, approximately 40% of these had one or more mental health issues.

 Trends

• Rates of mental health problems among children increase as they reach adolescence.
• Disorders affect 10.4% of boys aged 5-10, rising to 12.8% of boys aged 11-15, and 5.9% of girls aged 5-10, rising to 9.65% of girls aged 11-15. Source: Mental Disorder More Common In Boys, National StatisticsOnline (2004).
• The number of under 18 year olds who are admitted to adult wards has decreased: 2005/06 - 8; 2006/07 - 6; 2007/08 - 5.

Source: Newcastle Young People's Drug and Alcohol Services Local Needs Assessment November 2009. 2009/10 data sourced from local Newcastle Youth Offending Team data - 30/09/2010 Newcastle CAMHS is structured according to the National 4-Tier framework


The 4-Tier Strategic Framework for CAMHS and the corresponding services available in Newcastle (Source: DoH, NSF for children, young people and maternity services, Standard 9)

Mental Health Grant (MHG) notional allocation in Area Based Grant (ABG)


*The significant drop in the DCSF CAMHS grant between 2007 and 2008 is because Newcastle's ranking has moved from the 20th to the 37th worst of the 354 Local Authorities for multiple deprivations.
 
Graph 1: The estimated CAMHS budget per 0-17 year old in the year 2009/10.


       (Source: Children's Service mapping, 2010)
In the North East, the estimated budget spend per 0-17 year old is significantly higher (£81) than the England average (£44).

Graph 2: The estimated CAMHS cases to 0-17 population in the year 2009/10.
(Source: Children's service mapping, 2010)
 

• In the North East, the estimated number of CAMHS cases in 0-17 population is significantly higher (14.3) than the England average (10.8).
• Windscreen model of CAMHS services have been completed and are available overleaf.
• NTW community CAMHS has a current waiting list of 153 (September 2010).
• In the year 1st April 2009 - 31st March 2010 there was exactly 100 referrals to Newcastle CAMHS self harm service. This was down from 106 the previous year.

Table 4 below shows the percentages of primary presenting disorders to CAMHS (Tiers 2 and 3) from the 2009/10 CAMHS mapping exercise in Newcastle.



During the 09/10 CAMHS mapping exercise, the length new cases in Newcastle had to wait to be seen by various teams is shown in table 5 below.