Perinatal, children and young people's mental health
The aim of this profile is to improve the availability and accessibility of information and intelligence around perinatal, children and young people's mental health. The profile provides an overview across multiple geographies in England to support planning and commissioning of local services.
Profile structure
The indicators in the profile are grouped into topics, including:
- key indicators
- identification of need
- factors affecting perinatal mental health
- factors affecting children and young people's mental health
- services and outcomes
A number of geographies are available with which to view each indicator and these include:
- England
- integrated care boards (ICBs)
- NHS regions
- counties and upper tier local authorities (UAs)
- regions
Related profiles
For more information on related topics, go to Adult mental health and wellbeing and Suicide prevention profiles.
Supporting information
A range of additional intelligence products are provided which can be used alongside the profile. Further information can be found at:
Contact us
For enquiries and feedback relating to the mental health intelligence profiles, please email: mhit@dhsc.gov.uk
Recent updates
April 2026
The following indicators were updated:
Factors affecting perinatal mental health:
- Depression: QOF incidence - new diagnosis
February 2026
The following indicators were updated:
Factors affecting perinatal mental health:
- Domestic abuse related incidents and crimes
- Air pollution: fine particulate matter (new method - concentrations of total PM2.5)
Factors affecting children and young people's mental health
- Domestic abuse related incidents and crimes
- Percentage of physically active children and young people
- Homelessness - households with dependent children owed a duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act
- Air pollution: fine particulate matter (new method - concentrations of total PM2.5)
January 2026
Note: values for the East of England and the North West NHS regions did not show for some of the Quality and Outcomes Framework data in this profile from 02/12/2025 to 08/01/2026. This was due to a change in the codes for these regions. This issue has been rectified in the January 2026 update.
Sex and deprivation breakdowns were added for new referrals and attended contacts for under 18s. The following indicators were updated due to revised 2022 mid-year population estimates and to reflect data completeness:
Key indicators:
- New referrals to secondary mental health services, per 100,000
- Attended contacts with community and outpatient mental health services, per 100,000
- Inpatient stays in secondary mental health services, per 100,000
Services and outcomes:
- New referrals to secondary mental health services, per 100,000
- Attended contacts with community and outpatient mental health services, per 100,000
- Inpatient stays in secondary mental health services, per 100,000
December 2025
The following indicators were updated:
Factors affecting perinatal mental health:
- Depression: QOF prevalence
- Depression: QOF incidence - new diagnosis
- Mental Health: QOF prevalence (All ages)
- Stillbirth rate
- Deprivation score (IMD 2025) replaced Deprivation score (IMD 2019)
Factors affecting children and young people's mental health:
- Children who started to be looked after due to family stress or dysfunction or absent parenting: rate per 10,000 children aged under 18
- Deprivation score (IMD 2025) replaced Deprivation score (IMD 2019)
Services and outcomes:
- Age-standardised rate for suicide by age and sex (Persons, 10-24 yrs)
Correction notice:
Since publication in November 2025, an error has been identified in the number of infants due a 6 to 8 week review for Croydon. Data has been revised for Croydon, London and England for the following indicators:
- Breastfeeding prevalence at 6 to 8 weeks
- Proportion of children receiving a 6 to 8 week review
November 2025
Profile combining the previous versions of the 'Perinatal mental health' and 'Children and young people's mental health and wellbeing' profiles released
The following indicators were updated:
Factors affecting perinatal mental health:
- Loneliness: Percentage of adults who feel lonely often or always
- Breastfeeding prevalence at 6 to 8 weeks
Factors affecting children and young people's mental health:
- Violent crime - violence offences per 1,000 population
- First time entrants to the youth justice system
- Reception prevalence of overweight (including obesity)
- Year 6 prevalence of overweight (including obesity)
- Child development: percentage of children achieving a good level of development at 2 to 2 and a half years
Services and access:
- Proportion of New Birth Visits (NBVs) completed within 14 days
- Proportion of infants receiving a 6 to 8 week review
- Proportion of children receiving a 12-month review
- New referrals to secondary mental health services
- Attended contacts with community and outpatient mental health services
- Inpatient stays in secondary mental health services
