Kids’ mental health target breached by 4.5 million days

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said his party will head into May's election pledging to deliver world-class mental health services, as he revealed that the SNP have breached a key target for child mental health waits by more than 4.5 million days since 2019.

The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment with 18 weeks of referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request to all health boards asked how many days over the 18-week standard CAMHS patients have collectively waited since 2019.

The data reveals that:

• Since April 2019, children across Scotland collectively waited 4,532,581 days over the 18-week standard for CAMHS treatment.
• In 2025/26, the longest collective wait over the 18-week standard was in NHS Lothian- children collectively waited 192,206 days over the standard.
• In 2025/26, the 18-week standard was breached by 11,442 days in NHS Highland, 3,921 days in NHS Lanarkshire, 1,939 days in NHS Tayside and 1,540 days in NHS Grampian.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"If your child breaks their arm, you'd expect them to be seen the same day. If they come to you and say they are struggling with their mental health, they can expect to wait months for care.

“The scale on which the SNP are breaking this promise to children and young people is truly scandalous. People simply cannot trust them to deliver for mental health, or for our NHS.

"In the capital in particular, the waits are just gobsmacking.

“The latest statistics showed 200 children across Scotland had waited over a year for treatment, with many more stuck on waiting lists.

“Only my party will deliver the world-class mental health services Scotland deserves- that’s a big part of getting change with fairness at its heart.

“We have a realistic plan to cut waiting times, get more professionals close to where you live and ramp up the training of new staff and mental health first aiders. In May, you can vote for that plan by marking a cross next to the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your second, peach-coloured, regional ballot paper.”