2026-02-19 16:27:34
Half a million children stuck on National Health Service (NHS) mental health waiting lists may turn to artificial intelligence chatbots for help.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned that long delays for treatment risk fuelling a “dangerous reliance” on unvetted technology, as desperate young people look for instant answers online.
Latest NHS England figures show 550,610 children and young people are currently waiting for mental health support. Of those, 53 per cent have been waiting more than a year – and 30 per cent have been stuck in limbo for over two years.
Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The number of young people waiting for mental health treatment in England is just unacceptable.
“If you’re a 12-year-old child, two years is a sixth of your life, this is a large part of your developmental process.
“And without a doubt, that delay in treatment will interfere with your ability to achieve your potential and get on with your life.”
She added: “There truly is a lack of ambition to treat mental illness in children and young people.
“The good news is that most can be effectively treated, but if left untreated, this risks a young person becoming an adult with a chronic illness that interferes with life chances – interferes with their relationships, interferes with their education and interferes with them being able to work.”
Dr Guy Northover warned that AI tools may appear helpful – but could do harm.
“While publicly available AI tools may give instant answers that feel supportive, in reality they don’t have the safeguards in place to ensure the advice given is actually safe or appropriate for a vulnerable child,” he said.
“Someone struggling with their mental health shouldn’t have to worry about ‘factchecking’ their own support.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “No parent should be worrying about their child’s mental health, which is why we have already helped nearly 40,000 more young people access support.”
They added the government is investing £688 million extra into services and expanding school-based support.
But psychiatrists insist urgent action is needed – warning that without faster access to care, children may continue to seek help from algorithms instead of experts.
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