How Long is the CAMHS Waiting List?

If your child has been referred to CAMHS and you have just been told they are on a waiting list, you are probably feeling a mixture of relief that help is on the way and anxiety about how long that help might take to arrive.



This post aims to give you an honest picture of what to expect, what you can do in the meantime, and what your options are if the wait feels too long or if CAMHS is ultimately unable to help.

What to Expect from CAMHS Waiting Times

CAMHS waiting times vary significantly depending on where you live in the UK, the nature of your child's difficulties, and how urgently the referral has been flagged. If your child has just been referred, you can find out more about what to expect in our post on what happens after a CAMHS referral.

Routine referrals in many parts of the country can involve waits of twelve to eighteen months, and in some areas families are waiting two years or more before being seen.

Urgent referrals, where there is a concern about immediate risk to the young person, are typically seen more quickly. However, the threshold for an urgent referral is high, and most referrals for anxiety, depression, OCD or other common conditions will be treated as routine regardless of how significantly they are affecting your child's daily life.

It is also worth knowing that the waiting time figures quoted by CAMHS services often refer to the time until a first appointment, which in many cases will be an initial assessment rather than the start of treatment. The wait for treatment to actually begin can be considerably longer.

Why Are CAMHS Waiting Times So Long?

CAMHS services across the UK have been under significant pressure for many years. Demand for child and adolescent mental health support has increased substantially, driven by growing awareness of mental health issues, the impact of social media, academic pressure and, more recently, the lasting effects of the pandemic on young people's wellbeing.

At the same time, CAMHS services have not received the funding or staffing needed to keep pace with that demand. The result is a system that is doing its best under enormous pressure, but that is simply unable to see the volume of young people who need support in a timely way. This is not a criticism of the dedicated professionals working within CAMHS, it is a reflection of a system that has been chronically underfunded for decades.

What Happens While You Wait?

For most families, the honest answer is very little. Once your child is on the waiting list, you are unlikely to hear much from CAMHS until an appointment becomes available. There is typically no interim support offered, no check-ins, and no way to escalate unless your child's situation deteriorates significantly.



This can be an incredibly difficult period. Your child's difficulties do not pause while they wait, and for many young people the months or years on a waiting list are a time when their mental health continues to decline without support.

What Can Parents Do In The Meantime?

While waiting for CAMHS, there are several things you can do to support your child and ensure they are not left entirely without help.

Talk to your child's school

Most schools have a pastoral team or a designated mental health lead who can provide in-school support. This will not replace therapy but can make a meaningful difference to how your child copes day to day.

Go back to your GP

If your child's situation is deteriorating, your GP can review the referral and in some cases escalate the urgency. They may also be able to refer to other services or provide additional support in the meantime.

Look into self-help resources

There are good quality resources available for young people and parents dealing with anxiety, OCD, depression and other conditions. Charities such as Young Minds and Anxiety UK offer helplines, online resources and guidance for families waiting for support.

Consider private therapy

For families who are able to access it, private therapy can provide the timely, specialist support that CAMHS cannot currently offer. A good private therapist who specialises in children and young people can begin treatment while your child is still on the CAMHS waiting list, and in many cases will have availability within days or weeks rather than months.

What Happens at the End of the Wait?

When your child's CAMHS appointment finally arrives, it will typically be an assessment rather than the start of treatment. The assessment is an opportunity for the CAMHS team to understand your child's difficulties in detail and determine what support is needed.

It is important to be aware that not every child who goes through a CAMHS assessment will be offered treatment by CAMHS. In some cases, young people are assessed and then told that their needs do not meet the threshold for CAMHS intervention, or that a different service would be more appropriate.

For families who have waited months or years for this appointment, this can be a devastating outcome. This is more common than many parents realise, and is one of the most difficult aspects of the current system.

Private Therapy as an Alternative

Private therapy is not the right option for every family, and we understand that cost is a significant consideration. However, for families who are able to access it, private therapy offers several important advantages over waiting for CAMHS.

Availability is typically significantly faster. Treatment can begin within days or weeks rather than after a prolonged assessment and waiting process. Sessions can be scheduled flexibly, including evenings and weekends, to fit around school and family life.

Private therapy also allows for a more tailored, individual approach. Rather than fitting into the constraints of a stretched NHS service, a private therapist can work at the pace that is right for your child and adapt the approach as the therapy progresses.



If you are considering private therapy, it is important to ensure that the therapist you choose is properly qualified and accredited. For CBT, look for a therapist accredited by the BABCP. For EMDR, look for a therapist who is a member of the EMDR UK Association. And if your child is under 18, make sure the therapist has specific experience and training in working with children and young people rather than primarily working with adults.

How Sulis Therapies Can Help

At Sulis Therapies, we provide specialist private CBT and EMDR therapy for children and young people up to the age of 26, delivered online across the UK. We typically have availability within a matter of weeks, and offer flexible appointment times including evenings and weekends.



If your child is on a CAMHS waiting list and you are concerned about how they are managing in the meantime, we would be happy to talk through whether private therapy might be the right option for your family.