More than one million children were referred to mental health services across England last year, with one in ten now facing a diagnosis, a report has revealed. The latest data from 2024-25 shows the number of children and young people referred to services has almost doubled since 2018-19. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children's commissioner who led the report, said the country faced a 'crisis' in young people's mental health. She added: 'There is no disguising the fact the figures in this report are stark.' With referrals rising by 10 per cent in the last year alone, the system is struggling to respond - leaving over a third of children waiting years for treatment. Active referrals include children who have been referred for, are waiting on or have received treatment in that time period. The figures do not include children already being treated.Anxiety remains the most common reason for young people seeking help, accounting for 16 per cent of all referrals, whilst cases of suspected autism rose by almost 50 per cent in a single year. Other neurodevelopmental conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also increased by nearly a quarter - with these children typically facing the longest waits.