National Health Executive
Here is the latest on mental health for children and young people.
from the CPD Magazine
Tag: children and young people
Tool Kit
Children and young people in Local Plans in England.
Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA); 2026.
https://www.tcpa.org.uk/resources/children-and-young-people-in-local-plans-in-england/
[Plug-in resources for embedding the rights, needs and voices of children and young people in planning policy.]
Freely available online
Children and Young People Physical Activity
February Data 2026
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID); 2026.
Data on levels of physical activity in children and young people, part of the the obesity, physical activity and nutrition profile on Fingertips. A new indicator showing the percentage of less active children and young people has been added to the profile. The indicator on percentage of physically active children and young people has been updated with 2024 to 2025 data.
Access here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-and-young-people-physical-activity-data-february-2026
Freely available online
LSCFT Research Bulletin
Latest Edition
The July edition of the LSCFT research bulletin is now available to view and download. This showcases some of the work our colleagues have been involved in.
If you are conducting your own research and would like to feature in our next bulletin please send your work or citation to: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk
The Health Foundation’s Networked Data Lab
Improving children and young people’s mental health services: local data insights from England, Scotland and Wales
This briefing presents analysis from The Health Foundation’s Networked Data Lab (NDL) about children and young people’s mental health. The analysis from local teams across England, Scotland and Wales has highlighted three key areas for urgent investigation, to help ensure children and young people get the care they need. These are: rapid increases in mental health prescribing and support provided by GPs; the prevalence of mental health problems among adolescent girls and young women; and stark socio-economic inequalities across the UK.
Medical emergencies in eating disorders
Guidance on recognition and management
Source: The King’s Fund
This report finds that signs that someone with an eating disorder is dangerously ill are often missed by health care professionals due to lack of guidance and training. The research finds that hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased by 84 per cent in the past five years, reaching a total of 24,268 admissions. Children and young people with eating disorders are the worst affected, with a rise of 90 per cent in the five-year period. This guidance is aimed at frontline staff so that people with eating disorders needing urgent care can be identified and treated earlier.
Covid 19
Current awareness updates
COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2022.
[This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. In February 2022, NICE added recommendations on molnupiravir and remdesivir for people with COVID-19 who do not need supplemental oxygen.]
A systematic scoping review of research on COVID-19 impacts on eating disorders: A critical appraisal of the evidence and recommendations for the field.[Abstract]
Linardon J. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2022;55(1):3-38.
[Symptom escalation and mental health worsening during-and due to-the pandemic were commonly reported, and those most susceptible included confirmed eating disorder cases, at-risk populations, and individuals highly anxious or fearful of COVID-19. Evidence emerged for increased demand for specialist eating disorder services during the pandemic. The forced transition to online treatment was challenging for many, yet telehealth alternatives seemed feasible and effective.]
Growing problems: What has been the impact of Covid-19 on health care for children and young people in England?
Quality Watch; 2022.
[This analysis from QualityWatch (a Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation programme) shows that the pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in demand for mental health services for children and young people. Despite children and young people being 10 times less likely to be hospitalised with Covid, the period has had a heavy toll on them. The briefing explains the findings and discusses the potential implications for the younger generation.]
Beyond recovery: the case for transforming UK clinical cancer research.
Cancer Research UK (CRUK); 2022.
[This position paper finds that Covid-19 has worsened pre-existing barriers to clinical cancer research, and recovering to a pre-pandemic ‘normal’ for research won’t be enough to deliver world-class cancer outcomes. Instead, the UK government must choose to go beyond recovery by expanding clinical research capacity, transforming how research is delivered, and supporting innovative cancer research.]
Living with Covid-19.
House of Commons Library; 2022.
[This page provides an overview of the Government’s strategy on Living with Covid-19 and a summary of the relevant policy changes.]
Social care reform: an independent review by Baroness Cavendish.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2022.
[A report looking at how the government can lock in the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to build a more robust, sustainable and joined-up system of social care.]
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in England.
National Audit Office (NAO); 2022.
[According to this report, the Covid-19 vaccination programme met stretching and unprecedented targets, helping to save lives and reduce serious illness and hospitalisation. However, it concludes that there are risks to be managed as the programme continues to evolve in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and to new clinical advice and evidence about vaccines. The report concludes that the programme has provided value for money to date.]
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination uptake in school pupils, England: up to 9 January 2022.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2022.
[Figures on vaccine uptake in school pupils aged 12 to 17 attending state funded schools, broken down by demographic and geographic characteristics, using a linked schools and vaccinations dataset, up to 9 January 2022 (experimental statistics).]
The response of the scientific community to a global crisis: a systematic review of COVID-19 research in 2020.
Srivastava PR. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2022;28(2):1-7.
[This article provides a bibliometric analysis of the direction of research relating to COVID-19 during the first year after the virus was first identified as a potential threat to public health.]
NHS Confederation
Tackling the increase in demand for mental health support in children and young people
Recent survey results reinforce the urgent need for more funding to support the growing demand for children and young people’s mental health services.
Read more here.
Long COVID Research
Research Definition for ‘Long COVID’ in Children and Young People Agreed
Source: Medscape UK Disclosures
Long COVID can affect adults, young people, and children, and now for the first time, in a landmark study accepted for publication in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, formal agreement has been made on a research definition for post-acute COVID-19, or ‘long COVID’ as it is commonly known, in children and young people.
Read more here.
Covid 19
Current awareness updates
How many care home staff in England have received two Covid-19 vaccine doses? Nuffield Trust chart.
Nuffield Trust; 2021.
[After the deadline passed, care home staff in England now need to have received two Covid-19 jabs to carry on working. Nina Hemmings looks at how many had been vaccinated twice only a few weeks before the deadline.]
Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health outcomes in a cohort of early psychosis patients.[Abstract]
Szmulewicz AG. Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2021;15(6):1799-1802.
[AIM: To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical outcomes, we used data from Electronic Health Records from 128 patients receiving care at a First Episode Psychosis clinic. CONCLUSIONS: We report that patients have avoided accessing higher levels of care, except in extreme cases. We argue that this is not a sustainable trajectory and that public health actions are required.]
Provider collaboration review: Mental health care of children and young people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Care Quality Commission (CQC); 2021.
[Review of care in 7 areas of England in June and July 2021 found COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the mental health of children and young people, and has led to an increased demand on services, particularly eating disorder services.]
Effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis.
BMJ; 2021.
[This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that several personal protective and social measures, including handwashing, mask wearing, and physical distancing are associated with reductions in the incidence covid-19. Public health efforts to implement public health measures should consider community health and sociocultural needs.]
COVID-19 Young people and vaccines Toolkit.
Cabinet Office; 2021.
[An updated vaccines toolkit for younger people has been launched by the Cabinet Office. The toolkit includes links to assets and videos designed to encourage vaccine uptake among young people aged 18 to 29.]